PRIME Minister Dr Keith Rowley must stop blaming citizens for the Covid-19 situation and work together with all necessary personnel to fight the virus.
This is according to Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar who condemned Dr Rowley’s statements that the United National Congress (UNC) aided in the rapid increase of cases by organising vigils for murdered victim Andrea Bharatt.
Persad-Bissessar in a statement on Tuesday said his blame was another front to hide his incompetency at managing the Covid-19 crisis.
Bharatt’s father, Randolph Bharatt also called on the Prime Minister to not use his daughter’s name in his politics.
Persad-Bissessar said, “It is lunacy that Rowley is linking the Covid upsurge to vigils held three months ago. On February 4, 2021, Andrea’s body was found. Her funeral took place on February 12. During that period there were nationwide vigils demanding the Government treat with the safety and protection of women – another area in which the Government has failed miserably. The Ministry of Health’s own officials have indicated that the Covid spike came after Easter.”
The Opposition Leader said Technical Director of the Ministry of Health’s Epidemiology Division, Dr Avery Hinds said on April 21 that one of the driving factors of the surge were congregations during the Easter weekend. The Prime Minister is also on record saying the place to be for Easter was Tobago and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan was also on record saying that 50,000 people travelled between Trinidad and Tobago over the Easter period.
She added, “Rowley never attended a vigil and but nonetheless contracted Covid whilst in Tobago.”
There has been a record 221 deaths for the month of May so far, while the overall Covid death toll stands at 390 as of Monday’s data startling figures that could have been prevented if there was a proactive Government that procured vaccines early Persad-Bissessar said.
She said, “The UNC commiserates with all the families who were affected by violent crimes. In their time of healing, they should not have to face the wickedness of a Prime Minister who in order to save face and deflect from the failures of himself and his government, resorts to another blame game, this time blaming vigils held for loved ones.”
