By Sue-Ann Wayow
THE morgue in Tobago is full of dead bodies and a 20-foot container will be available for the additional storage of bodies soon.
Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly THA Farley Augustine on Wednesday announced that the container which can hold 45 bodies will be installed at the Scarborough General Hospital mortuary.
Speaking at the THA’s weekly post-Executive Council media conference, Farley said the container should be ready for use by next week.
To date, Tobago has recorded 176 Covid-19 related deaths since the first was recorded in April 2020 and recently, has been recorded at least one death daily.
The THA is also looking for more land to bury the dead as cemeteries are also becoming overcrowded.
Augustine said, “We’re still trying to squeeze up dead in one tray. If you’re fat, then you alone have to hold in one tray. We have more dead than we can hold at the morgue, which means that far too many of our people are dying from this disease.”
Augustine said the public cemeteries in and around Scarborough were being occupied beyond their capacity.
“We have to start looking for space for new land to bury people,” he said.
Families of persons who have died are being asked to conduct their funerals as quickly as possible.
Augustine said, “The Tobago I know sees a funeral and the burial of loved ones as something that is extremely sacred, something that you know we always want to celebrate the life of a loved one and we celebrate in a particular way.”
He said if a person died from Covid-19 and the family could not attend the funeral due to quarantine measures, they would beg to be allowed to have their funerals after the period which was causing a backlog.
The Chief Secretary admitted that care was being affected to persons not affected directly by Covid-19 due to the overwhelming health situation on the island.
Augustine said, “We have surgeries on hold and I’m saying to you that whether you choose to get vaccinated or not, if you choose to be irresponsible, what would happen is that you can possibly end up dead.”
Regarding the announcement that all government workers need to be vaccinated in order work next year, Augustine said that could be a recipe for disaster especially as many healthcare workers paid by the State were needed at the facilities. He said the THA would be holding further discussions on how to deal with the issue regarding employees who were not paid by Central Government.
And the Chief Secretary strongly advised Tobagonians to obey all health protocols even if they were vaccinated especially during the Christmas season.
Augustine said, “I am begging you, keep your celebrations to the family within your household, please. Don’t keep any large parties, try to contain your celebrations within your household. Ensure that with your household, you have your family there, the family that you sleep with in the same house.
“Do your best, make the Christmas bright and merry within your household. Have fun, play games, laugh, watch movies together, watch some Hallmark (movies). But please, I beg of you, protect yourself.”
