(Trinidad Express) Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has some news for Trinidad and Tobago.
With the Covid-19 death count at 90, and people contracting the virus in manageable numbers, Rowley disclosed today that the country would maintain the approach adopted a month ago to suppress the spread of the virus.
However, he said hard restrictions could not continue indefinitely since the economy could be damaged beyond repair.
As a result, Rowley announced the following adjustments at a press conference in Port of Spain this afternoon.
– Gathers of 10 people will be allowed. To allow for more activity. Previously, it was five people being allowed to gather.
– Funerals will now be limited to 20 people.
– There will be an increase in the two flights per day to and from Tobago. There will now be six flights a day.
– Tobago Reef and Caroni Swamp operators would be granted exemptions to resume tours.
Rowley said he was disappointed in the reports coming out of the Public Service, where people have been taking advantage of the restrictions.
Fifty per cent of the workers were expected to go out to work on rotation.
However, Rowley said that weak management had allowed the situation to grow out of control, resulting in a situation where some workers were just not bothering to come out to work, and that there was a general free for all.
He said there were tens of thousands of public servants who would be fully paid to stay home.
He said the plan going forward would be to continue with the 50 per cent rotation, but that there would be a written roster kept at all locations and workers be required to comply.
He said the head of the public service would be instructed to do this as authorised under law, and those who did not show up would be deemed to be absent from work, and would not be paid.
He said there was one department that handled 200,000 transactions a month, and it was down to 62. He said this could not continue.
He said the 50 per cent rotation was no joke, but a serious response to the virus.
He said there would be no changes to restrictions at bars, restaurants and places of worship.
He said by the October 24, two weeks from now, changes be made to bring back activities at churches, bars and restaurants.
The regulations related to team sports and contact sports remain in effect.
He said that in the coming months, people got together to party and children gather to trick or treat. He said these activities would need to be closely supervised.
He said Divali was also a gathering event, but he was hoping that the level would be so low that the risk would allow for some participation.
Regarding Christmas, which started mid-November, he expressed the hope that the sacrifices being made now would allow for a happier Christmas.
