Dear Sir
Following a media conference last Saturday, prime minister Dr Keith Rowley confusing policies and back-tracking on key issues are likely to cause more chaos and pain for vulnerable citizens. The government also appears to be buying time to cover up the lack of testing and economic plan to take Trinidad and Tobago out of this crisis.
In one breath, the prime minister practically boasted about what he thinks is a good job in handling the crisis, yet in the next, he admits increased testing is needed to establish a proper picture of our circumstances.
Leader of the opposition, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, has been calling for ramped-up testing for weeks, but her appeal fell on deaf ears. The most obscene take away from this press conference is the prime minister’s admission that not enough testing was done to get a clear idea of the spread of the virus while patting himself on the back.
It is contemptible that Dr Rowley laughed at citizens’ concerns with the stay at home policy, revealing his usual arrogance towards people who are suffering, having lost their jobs, with no relief in sight. His statement to those who are out of work was that “we as a people like to stay home from work, what’s wrong now, you are being paid to stay home,” a glaring example of how out of touch Rowley is from the reality citizens face daily throughout this “lockdown”.
His appeal to landlords to “have a heart” rings hollow when after more than a month, people cannot even get the salary grant and are forced to jump through hoops to get other social support measures. Up to this time, no mention was made of any measures to support small and micro enterprises, so that they can weather the crisis and keep people employed.
The prime minister should have taken the opposition leader’s advice regarding re-opening the economy, implementation of enhanced health, hygiene, sanitation and occupational safety protocols at all places of business and government offices so that they and the wider economy can be reopened without endangering people’s health when the shutdown is over.
She indicated that these protocols could be coupled with staggered working hours for different sectors, continue social distancing measures, and limit recreational activities to an acceptable minimum. In this way, people could be put back to work and able to earn an income, and our business community could continue to contribute to the national economy.
With the latest announcement that the stay-at-home policy is to be extended until May 10, and with testing capacity still lower than international standards. Does this beg the question as to what data is driving the government’s decisions?
The suggested sample size of an additional 700 tests to be conducted from Monday, April 27, could never be a true reflection of a population exceeding one million.
The prime minister’s assertion that they are using “science” and “data” to drive policy while admitting that we haven’t tested enough to know the extent of the virus, shows clearly the disconnect between what is said and done. So, it is clear that after four and a half years, this government truly has no plan to take our country out of this crisis.
We urge the government to look at the United National Congress (UNC) National Economic Transformation Masterplan. This comprehensive plan, which the opposition leader presented in October 2019 in her response to the 2020 budget sets out a roadmap for recovery, stabilization of our economy, the development of new industries, and the creation of more than 50,000 new jobs.
We urge the prime minister and his team to put people before party and politics and accept our plan. The lives of our people and the future of our country are at stake.
Senator Anita Haynes
Trinidad and Tobago
