Business sector says Gov’t will soon have to take decisive action on vaccinations

The Mia Mottley administration is facing mounting pressure to revisit its position on mandatory vaccines sooner rather than later as daily COVID cases and deaths soar to unprecedented levels.

Chairman of the Barbados Private Sector Association (BPSA) Edward Clarke warned that the potential for crippling economic fallout was now a “severe national issue” with serious implications for both the business class and working masses.

And, in the midst of a trade union backlash against mandating vaccines in some establishments, Clarke defended the employers’ right to protect workers.

“Where we are according to Dr Forde is at the beginning of a storm and it is a more major crisis than just Christmas. We could have a very devastating impact on Barbados for a long time if we don’t heed warnings and the people don’t go and get vaccinated,” Clarke told Barbados TODAY.

“I have agreed with the Prime Minister as the head of the Private Sector and she as the head of the Social Partnership that we would not mandate enforcement or encourage our people to enforce, but there is going to come a time when this country has to make a decision…because if we don’t achieve the targets that we have to achieve as a country, what is the next step?

“It is time that people understand the seriousness of the situation and the danger to society and themselves by not being vaccinated,” the private sector chairman declared, adding, “If hardears don’t hear, hard ears is going to feel.”

A whopping 161 new COVID cases and one death were reported on Thursday and one death, continuing the surge of the last two weeks. A total of 896 people are in isolation. Healthcare officials are warning that this may just be the tip of the iceberg as cases could increase to as many as 500 per day in the weeks ahead.

One of the main concerns for the business community is the tourism industry, which could be under tremendous strain if night-time curfews, lockdowns and other restrictions persist.

“Tourists will go elsewhere if they are not coming to Barbados and Barbados will take much longer to recover,” Clarke warned.

Still, the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) and the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB) are accusing some companies of bullying for granting office spaces exclusively to vaccinated employees and threatening mandatory testing. CTUSAB president, Edwin O’Neale warned of a “proportionate” response from the labour movement and BWU General Secretary Toni Moore accused offending businesses of opposing the Social Partnership agreement.

In response, Clarke acknowledged the organisation’s collective support of Government’s voluntary vaccine policy but added that businesses remained free to make their own decisions, particularly “in certain critical areas”.

“Are we going to continue and wait forever until people get vaccinated? We don’t have that luxury of time. We simply don’t have the luxury of time. Individual business people are therefore going to make their own decisions if it prolongs too long,” said Clarke.

“This is a severe national issue that we seriously have to look at and consider the long-term impact on our country and on our people. What is the future of employment? What is the future of the health system? Where do we go as a country? It is a much bigger issue,” the private sector leader contended.

“We in the private sector are continuing to have meetings with our staff. We are doing educational things, we are bringing in doctors to speak to our staff, so we are encouraging more and more people to try and get vaccinated. But unless the numbers change dramatically, some other decision is ultimately going to have to be made by those in authority,” he concluded. (kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb)