OPPOSITION Kamla Persad-Bissessar is calling for an end of the State of Emergency (SoE) in place to curb the spread of Covid-19.
The Government goes to Parliament next week to extend the SoE for another three months. The SoE was first implemented on May 15.
In a press release on Friday, Persad-Bissessar said, “By extending the SoE Rowley and the PNM continue to display their craven lust for power without accountability.
“I call on the Government to abandon this draconian measure and instead focus their efforts on restarting the economy and getting citizens vaccinated.”
She said Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley move to extend the SoE for a further three months revealed his bankruptcy of ideas in dealing with the pandemic.
Persad-Bissessar said that while the Government insisted on “following the science,” Rowley’s policies appeared to be driven by his desire to be a dictator rather than scientific data. She said, “It is clear to everyone that objectives of the State of Emergency have not been realised, as cases and the death toll from Covid-19 continue to climb.
“The SoE has only succeeded in one thing; destroying thousands of jobs by closing down thousands of small and medium sized businesses. “Rowley must understand that lives and livelihoods are one and the same. If the SoE is not saving lives or livelihoods in whose interest is Rowley acting by further extending these harsh measures? There is no justification for continuing to curtail people’s rights while destroying their livelihoods.”
