Retired journalist takes up new role in the battle against COVID-19

Veteran journalist David Ellis has been selected to lead the charge in modifying the behaviour of Barbadians in the fight against COVID-19.

The announcement was made this afternoon by Prime Minister Mia Mottley, three days after she revealed that Government would be appointing a COVID-19 Public Advisor.

Ellis, a former station manager at Starcom Network retired in February after over 40 years in journalism but remained a regular host of the popular radio show Down to Brass Tacks. At the start of that show today he announced that he would be leaving the moderator’s chair.

The 65-year-old Ellis, who will be working through his company Ellis Communications Caribbean, maintained his appointment was not politically motivated and that he had thought long and hard before accepting the job.

“Let me begin by saying what a difficult decision this has been for me to make and I was back and forth on it, but the principal reason why I took it was because of the state of the game as it relates to COVID in this country at the moment.

“I haven’t taken this assignment as a partisan job and to demonstrate that to you just days ago I picked up the phone and I called Bishop Joseph Atherley the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and then I called Verla De Peiza of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) because I have worked with them in the position I held before and I said to them that out of courtesy and respect I thought they should be informed I was taking up this assignment and I am available to assist them and their organsiations in whatever way this office can in trying to avoid the kind of difficulties we are seeing in other Caribbean countries at the moment,” Ellis said.

During the news conference held at Ilaro Court that was streamed live, Ellis explained that his first and most important task would be to encourage Barbadians to get vaccinated.

“I think the most important task of all has to be one of trying to deal with the fact that we have so many people out there who are unvaccinated and who need to be convinced that it is important and necessary.

“I think though, it is not just a question of vaccination, we are expected to follow the protocols as well. I think the message has got to be a combination of those and that would be priority number one,” Ellis said.

He explained there was also the need for a change of behaviour both immediately and in the long-term.

The Prime Minister said Ellis had been chosen because he was independent and could reach all of Barbados with respect to the information and the advice that would have to be rendered as Government’s public advisor.

“We believe the person we are appointing can more than do the job and comes with a long and strong track record of being independent, of being able to speak with Barbadians and of being able to work alongside Barbadians to help us with the behaviour modification,” Mottley said.

She pointed out that even though Ellis was Government’s COVID Public Advisor, he also had a responsibility to the public of Barbados.

“It is absolutely critical that that be the remit because we need all Barbadians, irrespective of who you are and where you live and what you do, to be on board to fight this battle against COVID,” she said.
(randybennett@barbadostoday.bb)