Opposition: SoE not working

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As far as the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) is concerned, the State of Emergency (SoE) is not working– but an official position on whether or not the UNC will support any possible continuation will be taken at the party’s caucus ahead.

This was the word yesterday from UNC deputy leader Jearlean John.

She was asked about UNC’s position on the SoE following Thursday’s appeal by JTUM head Ancel Roget for the Opposition to support calls by JTUM and other labour leaders to ensure Government doesn’t extend the SoE past its deadline date—12.01 am on August 30.

A number of business leaders appealed– up to yesterday for economic reopening including retail and other sectors.

The SoE was instituted on May 16 following a spike in COVID-19 cases. It was enacted via resolution passed by parliamentarians with a simple majority vote. That level of vote could have involved Government support alone if necessary.

In May, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi had said in the event there’s need to extend the SoE for a further three months, it would be via another resolution passed by simple majority in the House of Representatives, but not the Senate.

And, if there’s further need to go beyond that six months’ aggregate, he’d added this would require a three-fifth majority vote (requiring Opposition support) passed in the Senate as well as House of Representatives.

Al-Rawi was in a meeting yesterday and unable to comment on whether the SoE might be extended for another three months.

At Wednesday’s Health Ministry briefing, officials noted an increase in cases following recent decreases. Today, the ministry details new approaches on vaccine distribution.

On JTUM’s call and the SoE issue, John told Guardian Media: “We’re guided by the data presented by Government and can only draw conclusions based on their graphs and statistics. In addition to their articulated objectives of outcomes from the SoE, the measures have only served to further exacerbate the pain and suffering of a down trodden population who has grown tired of been tired.”

She added: “And people continue to die from COVID, so as fas as we’re concerned the SoE, which was geared to curb congregating and similar activity, isn’t working. But we’ll examine the issue and take a formal position at our party’s caucus (ahead).’’

The Opposition UNC for the entire period of the COVID 19 lockdown commencing from March 2020 and with the subsequent SoE has been consistently advocating the plight of workers-overall, that Government must save lives and livelihoods.”

She also said, “As a consequence UNC’s been the consistent voice for ‘All , All, All’ of Petrotrin’s 10,000 workers, the 644 workers from ISPATT, 30,000 from the energy sector affected because of the non-availability of gas, thousands in the hospitality sector – without jobs, hope or any means of earning a living.”

“Our small and medium sized businesses some of which have closed their doors forever have had dreams destroyed along with their sacrifices of blood, sweat and tears. These are the issues that has every UNC member ‘up at night’ if I may borrow a phase from the Prime Minister.”