Opposition slams ‘inconsiderate’ restrictions

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No consideration is how the Opposition United National Congress described the latest lockdown measures announced by the Prime Minister yesterday.

A statement from Opposition Leader Kamla Persad- Bissessar slammed the measures, stating, “In the same manner as last year’s measures, Keith Rowley’s new ones are being done minus proper plan. He’s said once again the country has no money and therefore is unable to provide any support to businesses and individuals who would suffer in coming weeks due to the economic impacts of these measures.

“There’s a pertinent need to do all it takes to protect citizens’ lives and wellbeing, but this must be done while also protecting their ability to put food on their tables, Persad-Bissessar said.

She continued, ‘’Government’s mantra that ‘we’re all in this together’ rings hollow, given that the Prime Minister spent a large part of his presentation blaming citizens for the surge in cases. One would have thought that after having just recovered from COVID-19, he’d have had a different approach to the rise in cases. Instead, in his usual style, he blamed citizens for the recent spike, conveniently forgetting he recently had a rampage in Tobago where he eventually contracted COVID.’’

The statement added, “To deflect from his Government’s absolute failure, Prime Minister Rowley came to blame citizens, the vaccines, and older people who may have been visiting a loved one. Rowley and his Government also refused to acknowledge their failure to secure maritime borders as it’s quite possible the Brazilian Variant came via an illegal migrant crossing the porous border.’’

Opposition MP Dave Tancoo added, “ If borders aren’t effectively closed, variants will continue growing. How can he blame the PP Government for the borders when his Government wasted five years and $275 billion underfunding and under-resourcing the Coast Guard.

“Rowley’s statement showed failure on everything from vaccine sourcing to contact tracing and border control yet he continues blaming others. But how can he continue to blame people for being irresponsible when he says he doesn’t even know how he got infected?’’, Tancoo asked.

He added, “Government hasn’t been able to clearly confirm a date for new vaccines and he confessed that what they’d gloated about- including US vaccines – aren’t happening soon.

“With this situation and juggling of stocks, Government must ensure enough vaccines to supply the second shot to the 40,000 people who recently got their first shot. And that must be the required timeframe needed for the full dose to be effective.

“AstraZeneca’s a two-shot dose, how effective will only one dose be? Especially for seniors or ill people. How effective will the dose be if the second shot comes long after the first?”, Tancoo questioned.