Many in favour of COVID Czar’s tough stance

The COVID-19 pandemic spokesman Czar Richard Carter is receiving support from some members of the public who agree with him that all businesses should observe antivirus protocols or run into trouble with the law.

On Monday night, the Czar delivered what he called an absolute final warning and pledged that from today, bars, restaurants, nightclubs and other places of entertainment, in addition to supermarkets, public markets, failing to observe the protocols will be closed down.

Additionally, public transport vehicles that fail to observe the protocols which require drivers, conductors and passengers to wear face masks, are to be pulled off the road.

Today, Barbados TODAY caught up with a few vendors and customers at the Bridgetown Fisheries Complex who noted that Carter is taking a position which they believe is in the best interest of the country.

Fish vendor Patricia Mapp said she has made it her duty to invest in several masks and face shields and advised her colleagues to follow suit.

She said she ensures that she is always wearing a mask while in the market and at other public spaces and sometimes even forgets to remove it before eating or drinking.

“But I find that the people in the market don’t want to hear nothing you are telling them. They know they are supposed to wear a mask, wear the mask.

“Nobody should have to come here to threaten nobody or tell them not to do this or to do that. If you don’t know, you ain’t know, but if you know it makes all the difference in the world.

“Take a look around the market right now and see them, them there working and ain’t got on no mask. Them sitting down playing dominoes them aint got on no mask,” Mapp said.

She said she was also aggrieved that some were accusing the Government of contributing to the spread of COVID-19 on the island by re-opening the country’s borders.

“They are saying it is the Prime Minister’s fault because she’s letting people that got COVID-19 come in. No, it ain’t the Prime Minister’s fault. The Prime Minister don’t want to disappoint anybody and she is doing a good job.

“This is Barbados and there are people that went for vacation from Barbados that want to get back home now. I would just like everybody to wear the mask,” Mapp said.

The outspoken vendor also advised the Government to closely monitor COVID-19 test results of persons coming to the island to ensure the results are legit.

Augustine Forde, a vendor, agreed that colleagues, customers, and boat owners entering the facilities must wear their masks and do whatever is necessary to protect themselves and others.

Forde said he always walks with hand it is required that persons sanitize at the door.

“Everybody relaxed right now. Basically everybody was locked up and now everybody wants to be out there. I mean you can’t blame them for wanting to enjoy themselves but they still have to carry a mature side to it and understand that everybody at risk. You got to be safe, and wear your mask and sanitize your hands and wash your hands every couple of minutes or so to be on the safe side,” Forde said.

Vendor Sharon Bellamy-Thompson noted that considering that almost every country in the world requires that citizens and visitors wear masks and follow other protocols to prevent the spread of the virus, Barbadians should do the same.

“You have to do what the higher authorities say to do, it is not what you want to do. It is about what they require of us to do. The social distance is not a problem because the customers come on and off and the customers themselves, when they come, they don’t bundle together,” Bellamy-Thompson said.

Meanwhile, a customer who identified himself as Hoyte,who goes to the market at least twice per month said he is hopeful that the market remains COVID-19 free.

“Let us not forget where this thing started and how it spread. So we have to keep it out of the market. In fact, we have to keep it out of Barbados,” Hoyte said.

Barbados TODAY also spoke to drivers of public service vehicles, and many of them said they have been following government’s protocols including wearing masks.

However, one driver who did not give his name said he knew for a fact that there are drivers and conductors that have not been wearing masks and are also allowing their passengers to go mask-free.

“The Czar is right. If them don’t want to wear the mask, shutdown the place. Yes, wearing a mask all the time is uncomfortable, but we have to remember that it is for the good of all,” the driver said.
anestahenry@babradostoday.bb