There is no denying that with Covid-19, we are faced with a great challenge.
A challenge that changes as the virus mutates. This unprecedented crisis needs a genuinely national response. The NDC has always supported and participated in the fight against Covid-19 because we believe that this national crisis requires input from all our people.
Although the current administration regularly speaks of unity and collaboration, it has in fact been reluctant to embrace all stakeholders in the fight against Covid-19. The government needs to be much more inclusive if we are to win this battle.
Now that Pfizer, and the AstraZeneca vaccines are available, we are calling on all people of influence among us, to get involved and send the message that choosing one of these two options will help us to successfully get through this crisis. The risk of hospitalisation and death is much greater for those who get Covid-19 and are unvaccinated. Yet, vaccine hesitancy is perhaps the single greatest risk to Grenada presently. We, therefore, encourage our people to listen to the science from reputable, trustworthy sources when making your choices.
NDC acknowledges that it will be virtually impossible to foresee all possibilities of breeches at our borders. However, we believe that certain measures can be taken now that will enhance border security, thereby offering greater protection to our people. According to the experts, the incubation period for the Delta variant of Covid-19 is 3 to 5 days. Vaccinated people can contract and spread the virus as easily as unvaccinated people.
NDC, therefore, recommends that the quarantine period for everyone entering Grenada, be increased to no less than 5 days, vaccinated or not. We see no reasonable justification for stipulating a shorter quarantine period for vaccinated people.
The announcement by the Prime Minister in his national address, that there are now 30 active cases with the possibility of that number rising, suggests that the virus is likely spreading through our communities. To curb further spread, NDC recommends that the government implements free testing for all persons wishing to be tested. Not just those who are contact-traced as a result of possible exposure. Government should embark on random testing nationwide and this drive should be well publicised. Increased testing may well lead to increased vaccinations.
Further, given the spike in infections, we suggest that quarantine facilities should be available for locals testing positive. This will help in efficiently monitoring those infected and reduce the likely spread within households.
If the number of cases continue to rise, further strain will be put on the frontline workers engaged in areas like contact tracing and monitoring persons in isolation and quarantine. We, therefore, recommend training more workers in those fields. This can include some of the people in the de-bushing gangs.
Further, we urge the government to prepare for the eventuality of an increased need for a designated Covid-19 unit, properly equipped with beds, ventilators, PPE and other necessary facilities. We are concerned that well into the second year of the pandemic, we have not increased the quantity of this equipment at our health facilities.
One of the shortcomings of the current administration in handling Covid-19, is its failure to lead a robust public education campaign. The results are that disinformation has taken root, medical and other relevant experts have not been sufficiently involved and the nation has been largely subjected to a tone of condescension and arrogance from officials, especially the Minister of Health. This failure to engage in robust public education, the NDC believes has significantly contributed to the high level of vaccine hesitancy.
The NDC, therefore, supports the call for social partners and stakeholders to become more involved in this aspect of the fight against Covid-19. However, since the main responsibility lies with the government, we recommend that its public education campaign can be more streamlined and targeted towards high-risk groups, such as persons with chronic diseases, who are more likely to become very sick if infected.
The approach recommended above is likely to have greater success than the government’s approach to support and encourage mandatory vaccination. For the avoidance of doubt, NDC is not in favour of mandatory vaccination. To get vaccinated should always remain a personal choice, and no one should be forced to choose between their livelihood and the vaccine. We believe in our people. We believe that with a robust and well-executed public education campaign, the vast majority will make the right choice.
While we support the call for greater collaboration among social partners, government must lead. Government should therefore convene a multipartite body, involving the private sector (including the medical and legal associations), the unions and other bodies representing non-unionised workers, and other groups including political parties and NGOs.
We encourage the private sector to get involved in the public education campaign with public service announcements on radio, television, social and electronic media. The telecommunications companies can play a key role in winning this fight.
Finally, NDC encourages the government to be more fair, just and equitable in applying the regulations. The blatant double standards repeatedly exposed, operate to increase the restlessness and high level of defiance we have seen recently. Attacking and disrespecting people like Senator Rolanda Mc Queen, who speak of the loopholes in the system, in her case based on her personal experience, only serves to create an atmosphere of anger, division and discord. In this stressful time, our people need understanding and compassion from our leaders, not bullying and chastising.
Our economy has been hammered by this pandemic and recovery will be slow; people have lost their jobs, businesses have closed or contracted, prices have been rising on food, fuel, electricity, and just about everything. There is no doubt that poverty has been increasing. People are hungry. People are suffering. We urge the government to review its priority areas to bring more relief to the people. For example, in this time when needs are great, the government should not be spending in excess of $30 million on traffic lights. Also, the government should speedily resolve its dispute with Ambassador Newfield and the Kawana Bay owners, to avoid having to pay out another hefty judgment.
NDC urges everyone in Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique to observe the safety protocols of regular hand washing and sanitising, wearing masks, social distancing, maintaining healthy lifestyles and getting vaccinated.
My numerous posts are pepeated deleted by Now Grenada. In particular the ones that are insisive on the current Government’s performance. I wonder why? If this online “newspaper” is to reflect Grenadian views I must do so in its entirety – not selectively as it is now appears to be doing. Even this post may be deleted. Urhhh.
Our system shows 153 posted and 0 deleted comments from you to date. If any of your comment(s) are automatically flagged for moderation, that means a delay for manual review which is usually done several times per day — not deletion — but we have no record of any of your recent comments being been flagged either. Almost all comments that we delete generally are due to ad hominem attacks, or spam. Please feel free to contact us directly if this is not the case so that we can promptly look into the issue further and address it.
I am getting the feeling that this media is in partnership with either the opposition or the government in some way shape or form because I put comments which are honest and fair but yet most are not listed for whatever reason yet to be told.
So to cut a long story short the less said the better.
Explain the waste of money on traffic lights that have sat idle for years now being a priority. Explain the waste of 40 MILLION EC for debushing while Keith and Steele demand citizens pay $400 EC out of empty pockets for covid testing that in every other country is a public health emergency and FREE.
IF this government actually gave a damn about the citizens the testing for covid would be broad inclusive and FREE. All those MILLIONS of USdollars borrowed were for COVID SUPPORT which is not only financial support to businesses but more importantly the medical support and FREE COVID TESTING being the first step to protecting the population.
Ask yourselves, where is the money? Why are debushing and traffic lights more important that lives?? Repair the roads for mire safety first too. Government has a subpoena with these very stupid decisions.
Debushing won’t matter if persons sick and dying.
And the solution is?
Get vaccinated follow established covid protocols, put back better quarantine times, stop gouging for quarantine accommodations and if someone is going to be isolated properly at their accommodations when they arrive on the island let them stay there with daily monitoring. Educate the population about vaccines. Be honest about then. Too much phoney crap being shared among Grenadians that they are believing instead of science.
You get vaccinated as a child to protect from many diseases, this situation is no different. Covid kills. I know this first hand losing two loved ones to it.
Double vaccinated myself some side effects, but have had side effects from other well established vaccines too.
Just do it.
I don’t understand the purpose of this statement by this political party because the current government are the ones responsible for implementing any changes.
They failed when they allowed a selected few to break the law that they brought in so what on earth can an opposition party can do now to make things better….which they can’t.
They can give a statement of policy, a different perspective, support for policies they agree with, an alternative to the biblical pressure, double standard and cronieism of the current government.
A chance to see not everyone is a yes man, or yes woman, to Keith Mitchell no matter what he says.
Different Politicians…..Same Sh*t!
Here is a perfect example, basically just agrees with everything Keith Mitchell government is doing, only wish they be INCLUDED and cut in on a share of Political Power.
In the meantime…… the long suffering Grenadian people who dont agree with the current Government Emergency Powers and Covid Response are deemed…… ignorant and stupid, ill informed by social media and who need to be reeducated by those much wiser than them to Vacinate and Ventilate.
Can these Politicians be more anymore condescending? Its really hard not to hate these people.
Never mind that its been wall to wall Government Covid propaganda in the MSM and no political opposition in Parliament.
If people did not go online they would still be in the dark and being fed endless BS about CV19.
But this just shows why these Lawyers/Politicians should not be trusted, because when Tyranny like …..no Jab no Job is forced on the powerless people….. you soon realise Politicians only care about Power for themselves and you are on your own.
Political parties with little or no difference. Same old Sacks of Sh*t.
Actually, the fact that NDC wholeheartedly agree with current government’s stance (except to increase quarantine time) should make anti-vaxxers pause and think. Maybe this thing is real after all?
I don’t agree with the current government on much either, so I’m quite glad NDC is still living in the same universe as me and agree on the basic facts of this pandemic. Take the jab, save lives.
Or the NDC politicians like most politicians are too damn lazy to read actual Medical Research Data about SarsCov2 and Effective Treatment Protocols…. and just simply follow CNN and the Party line like the Partisan sheep they are.
These political fools are making life and death decisions about other people yet are clueless and ignorant about one of the most life changing event in our lifetime.
Ok, here are the Covid-19 hubs for the top 5 scientific research journals. Please refer me to an article that backs your claims that scientists are warning AGAINST taking the vaccine or that mainstream media is deceiving us from what scientists are actually saying. Science journalists get paid to read this stuff so we don’t have to, but by all means:
https://www.nature.com/subjects/sars-cov-2
https://www.sciencemag.org/collections/coronavirus
https://www.nejm.org/coronavirus
https://www.thelancet.com/coronavirus
https://www.cell.com/COVID-19
Due to the ridiculous censorship and excessive moderator delays on Now Grenada, which kills free and easy exchange and discussion, I missed your reply.
Thanks for the links but I have no intention of sifting through various Medical Reports to select one for you.
However…I am prepared to go even better and provide a link to a video of the man who invented the mRNA Technology, who explains in clear simple language, the genesis and why he oppose these mRNA injections…..
https://thehighwire.com/videos/mrna-vaccine-inventor-calls-for-stop-of-covid-vax/
https://rumble.com/vkrdx6-dr.-zelenko-speaks-to-a-rabbinical-court-in-jerusalem.html