Group opposed to vaccine requirement for Vincentians seeking shelter

As Vincentians continue to ponder their next move including if they will be seeking accommodation in other Caribbean countries, one activist group is sending an early warning to authorities in Barbados not to make vaccination a mandatory requirement for those choosing to be housed in Bridgetown.

This warning from the Rastafari Progressive Movement (RPM) has come in light of recent comments made by St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves that the countries that have indicated they would accommodate Vincentians “they would want us to vaccinate before we come there”.

Countries such as Barbados, Grenada, St Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, and St Kitts and Nevis have all indicated a willingness to assist in housing Vincentians temporarily as a result of the explosive eruptions at the La Soufrière volcano.

Gonsalves has not yet made a formal request for the volcano evacuees to be accommodated in Barbados.

However, earlier this week, he indicated that of the 600-plus Vincentians who have applied to be relocated to other Eastern Caribbean states, only “a few persons” have shown an interest in coming to Barbados.

In any event, the RPM has issued a warning to the Mia Mottley administration against using “this tragic event as an opportunity to impose mandatory vaccinations on the people of St Vincent who wish to seek refuge in Barbados”.

The anti-vaccine group said if the government should require Vincentians to be vaccinated it would be unfair since other people currently coming on the island were not being required to take the jab.

“Everyone entering the island is required to be quarantined and tested. Do that with those who are now la Soufrière refugees. At a moment like this when time is of the essence, trying to force people to take a COVID-19 vaccine without the knowledge of a person’s medical history and vaccine interaction implications would be unwise, unsafe and an endangerment to life,” said the RPM.

Health officials in Barbados have already indicated that should a formal application be made for individuals to be relocated from Kingstown to Bridgetown temporarily, they would only be required to take a COVID-19 test and follow the protocols.

The RPM maintained, however, that any country deciding to house the volcano evacuees and requiring them to be vaccinated would equate to “a violation of their fundamental rights to personal autonomy, which informs the more specific right to bodily integrity”.

“Basically, those rights mean every person can make decisions for themselves and what can and cannot be done to their bodies,” said the group in its statement to Barbados TODAY.

Describing the COVID-19 vaccine to this point as “an experiment”, the Rastafari group said it was pleading with the Mottley administration not to take the stance of mandatory vaccination for those who wish to come to the country.

While it is not yet clear if it has been made official by any country that offered to temporarily accommodate Vincentians that they would be required to be vaccinated against COVID- 19, the cruise lines have already indicated that they have not made vaccination mandatory, but have left it up to local health officials.
Following the explosive eruption of the La Soufrière volcano in St Vincent on Friday, April 9, thousands of Vincentians had to flee their homes and seek lodging with families and friends or at shelters across the country in areas considered ‘safe zones’.
The RPM has since embarked on a drive to collect items destined specifically to Rastafari in St Vincent who have been affected by the volcano eruption.
“Rastas diets are strict within a vegetarian sense. So we want to meet the needs of the Rastafari there,” said the group, who pointed out that the donation drive was a combined effort of the Rastafari community in Barbados as well as “non Rastafari” people.
While a shipment of items will depart Bridgetown on Wednesday, the collection drive will continue and another shipment is scheduled to leave the island again next week.
(marlonmadden@barbadostoday.bb)