By Sue-Ann Wayow
THE Government will not need a special majority vote in Parliament to make it compulsory to have public servants vaccinated in order to work.
This means that the policy can be made law without support from the Opposition.
Al-Rawi on Thursday held a press conference to address the issues raised by the labour unions since Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley announced that in order for public servants to be gainfully employed, they will have to accept a Covid-19 vaccine.
He said, “I am confident that it is of course a right’s issue. It is a constitutional issue. It does not require a special majority because not every Section 4 and Section 5 rights of our Constitution need be treated with by way of special majority. That has been made absolutely clear in the courts, right up to the Privy Council.
“There are many judgements from around the world and the Caricom and Commonwealth experience. Up to yesterday, the Supreme Court of Jamaica refused an injunction in relation to Jamaica’s mandatory vaccination policy.”
Al-Rawi said when new variants of concern began to emerge, discussions were held with the labour movement and the Ministry of Labour that would have proposed voluntary vaccination which the Government agreed to.
However, with the decline in vaccination numbers and the rapid increase of deaths and cases and now with the presence of the Omicron variant, the Government had to make the decision to greater encourage Covid-19 vaccination, he said.
“More and more persons in the public service are on quarantine, are on stay out, and the vaccination numbers have hit a wall,” Al-Rawi said.
He also asked for additional suggestions from those who are opposing the policy.
