AG, PM say COVID-19 directives no trick

Government has not tried to “slip anything” past Barbadians in its enforcement of the most recent COVID-19 Directives, Attorney General Dale Marshall insisted Wednesday night.

He sought to give an assurance that Government had no intention of using the legislation to take advantage of Barbadians.

The AG made the point just days after Opposition Leader Reverend Joseph Atherley expressed concern about the latest directive, Emergency Management (COVID-19) Orders & (Curfew) Directive (No.7), in which a section gives Government the power to temporarily confiscate land or buildings in its fight against COVID-19.

But Marshall said that just as how the Government took control of a senior citizen’s home earlier this year following an outbreak of COVID-19 on the plant, it would only be done if necessary.

He said: “Let me remind Barbadians that this is a state of emergency and while it may not be the kind of emergency that you may think of when you think of a hurricane or war or anything of that sort, the state has to have reserve powers in a situation that might arise which would call on it to do extraordinary things.

“The Government of Barbados is constrained by its Constitution. We cannot and will not take anyone’s property without compensation. You will notice that the order does not say we will acquire it, it says requisition which suggest and which conveys the impression that for as long of a period of time that is needed the Government may be required to take extraordinary steps and access facilities and assets that it does not have in its control.

“We’ve been very fortunate that we’ve not had to go to that extreme but it is important that we have these reserve powers available and let me stress that they have been there from the very beginning. Every single COVID order has been gazetted so this is not something at all that the Government of Barbados has surreptitiously tried to slip into the COVID arrangements regime. It has been there from the very outset.”

Prime Minister Mia Mottley further declared that the powers are an “insurance clause”.

She said Barbados has to be prepared for any eventuality and maintained that Government has been honest with Barbadians about its policies.

“Everything that we have done has been fully transparent and therefore the public does not need to worry about not knowing, but equally if something happens in the middle of the night as had happened, if something happens on the weekend as has happened, the requisition simply means to use and not to take over ownership,” the Prime Minister said.
(randybennett@barbadostoday.bb)