By Sue-Ann Wayow
WHY do we need a State of Emergency (SoE) for an aggressive vaccine drive?
This is the question being asked by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
Speaking during the United National Congress (UNC) virtual meeting on Monday, Persad-Bissessar said the Opposition will await the debate in Parliament on Wednesday.
The call was also made for motorists to drive with their headlights on or honk their vehicle horn during Wednesday in protest against the proposed extension of the SOE for another three months.
Persad-Bissessar asked, “I ask the Government to tell us on Wednesday in the debate – why do you need a State of Emergency? What extraordinary powers are you going to get from extending the SoE that you don’t already have with the Public Health Regulations?”
She said while people already had to be subjected to quarantine, fundamental rights were being taken away.
There was no logical explanation for the SoE’s extension if businesses continued to be on a lockdown and data being produced did not show the SoE was assisting in the reduction of positive Covid-19 cases or Covid-19 related deaths.
“It seems the only reason has to be that they want control,” she said.
However, she said the Opposition will go into debate with an open mind, and will remain attentive to what the Government has to say in order to make a decision.
While admitting the extension of the SoE may be passed by a simple majority of votes in Parliament, the Opposition will raise the necessary questions and concerns, she said.
