Mottley says lockdown would trigger flight losses

Government will not be pressured into shutting down the country.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley has given that assurance to Barbadians in the wake of calls from the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) to lock down the country because of the Delta variant outbreak on the island.

Her comments have come following recommendations from the DLP that tougher measures be implemented and that the country “pause for a cause”.

While accusing the DLP of “politicking with COVID-19”, Mottley said now was not the time for partisan politics.

She urged the party to “join in the struggle” to get more Barbadians vaccinated instead of proposing measures that are likely to bring greater hardship to those who can least carry the extra burden.

The Prime Minister said another lockdown could trigger a withdrawal of international flights for possibly the rest of the year and cause irreversible social and economic implications.

“Locking the country down is and will not be the first, second or third option of this Barbados Labour Party government. I want to make that very clear. We do not take the matter of shutting this country down lightly. This is not the knee-jerk manner in which we govern.

“If my ministers and I have to take to the streets of Barbados and go door to door to get Barbadians fully sensitized of the need to protect themselves against the spread of COVID, particularly with the prevalence of the Delta variant, then that is what we shall do,” Mottley indicated in a press release.

“The DLP needs to stop the politicking and hop aboard the national crusade to save lives and uphold the standard of living to which Barbadians have become accustomed. There will be time for partisan politics but right now, what we need is national leadership. We need social partners such as political parties to do and say what is right, what makes sense and what is in the national interest.

“We have very little room for distraction and confusion. It is a luxury Barbados simply cannot afford at this moment. Shutting this country down right now, for a day, a week or longer is not an option that we are willing to consider right now. I have said before we cannot sprint a marathon. So the DLP can continue with its ill-conceived formula or it can come constructively to the table (as we have invited them in the meetings on COVID at the Social Partnership) and let us work together as one people to battle our way, as a nation, out of this crisis that I remind you is being experienced by every other country on Mother Earth at this present moment.”

The Prime Minister revealed that within the last month Government had spent $48 million shoring up existing facilities, purchasing new equipment and employing more people in an attempt to adequately manage the threat.

Mottley said even though 117,000 or around 43 per cent of the country’s population of 287, 000 had taken at least one dose of the vaccine that figure was not enough.

In an earlier statement, the DLP’s vice-president and spokesperson on Health, Water and Sanitation Andre Worrell insisted tough decisions had to be made with 101 positive cases being reported on Sunday and with 546 persons in isolation.

He said the president of the Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners (BAMP) Dr Lynda Williams had also called for stricter measures to be enforced.

Worrell suggested that even as Government continued to shore up its isolation and quarantine facilities that might not be enough.

“The DLP recognises that managing this crisis is ensuring that our healthcare sector is not overwhelmed. It may be time for the Prime Minister to make the decision just as she did on 29th January 2021, when she declared that she was not willing to sacrifice Barbadian lives to stabilise the economy and we should pause for a cause,” Worrell said.

“The DLP believes that increased vaccination will help to reduce the spread of the virus and improve outcomes. The vaccination rate depends on the availability of vaccines and speed with which healthcare professionals can get them into the arms of willing persons. Currently, 35.6 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated and we are vaccinating on average, 1,275 persons a day. At this rate, it will take another 46 days to vaccinate 10 per cent of the population. This still does not put us close to herd immunity. It may be best to control the things we can and take a pause before the Delta variant causes us to crash.”
(randybennett@barbadostoday.bb)