by Linda Straker
- State of Emergency extended until May 2022
- Senator Matthew Joseph described it as a proactive measure
- Senator Roderick St Clair called on Government to consider other variables and factors
The members of the Upper House of Parliament have given their unanimous approval for Grenada’s State of Emergency to be extended until May 2022. The extension will ensure that the country can quickly enforce new regulations under the Emergency Powers Act if there is an uncontrollable outbreak of Covid-19.
The approval from the members of the Senate came amidst passionate debate during a special session on Thursday, 4 November 2021 but in the end, they all concluded that approving the resolution is in the best interest of the nation.
Senator Matthew Joseph described it as a proactive measure that people are not accustomed to see happening. “We are a reactive society, so I understand the concerns being expressed by some,” Joseph said in his deliberation while contributing to the Resolution which was presented to members by Senator Norland Cox, Acting Leader of Government Business in the Senate. Joseph also wants the Government to come up with a plan for going forward because Covid-19 will be around for a long time and the aim now should be living with the virus in this new normal.
Despite, lending his support, Senator Roderick St Clair who represents the farming and fishing communities in the House called on Government to consider other variables and factors that are linked both directly and indirectly to living under a State of Emergency because the impact of Covid-19 is not just in the number of deaths or persons recovered, but in the development of the country.
Grenada declared a State of Emergency in March 2020 as part of measures aimed at containing and controlling the spread of Covid-19. In April 2020, the Parliament approved a 6-month extension which ended in October 2020. However, due to a small outbreak in December 2020 another State of Emergency was declared and since then it has been extended every 6 months.
Because there is a State of Emergency enforced, the Emergency Powers Act provides for the Cabinet to approve regulations under which citizens must live. The latest regulations provide for among other things a curfew from midnight to 4 am, wearing of mask or appropriate face-covering in public space as well as applying 6-feet physical distancing in businesses and churches.
We are nearly 80 years old and very anxious to come to Grenada as 95% of the Grenadian people are NOT vaccineted. We have two vaccines and a booster.
The Winter is the best season for tourisme and you extend the state of emergency !!!
We don’t understand. So we are looking for a more friendly place.
No one us forcing you to come to Grenada. Goodbye!
Vaccination does not stop contagion, vaccination at best reduces symptoms, vaccination allows people who are vaccinated to be infected, and spread the illness without symptoms to those who are not vaccinated. We who are not vaccinated should be more scared of you, than you are of us. The start of the recent outbreak which is now thankfully very reduced, was started by a vaccinated person.
Apart from Rebecca who seems to have a burr under her saddle, Grenada is a friendly place, and our state of emergency would probably have little affect on your visit. We are currently open until 12 midnight, and can start to move at 4am. You should be pleased to know dining places require you to be vaccinated to eat in. The restrictions are to PROTECT YOU, and are an inconvenience for me.
With this extention of emergency a lot of tourists don’t come to Grenada. We also don’t intend to come again as we are vaccined twice plus a booster !!
“A bon entendeur salut!”
This is crap! You don’t extend a state of emergency for another 6 months. You use common sense and only extend AS NECESSARY. There is an ulterior motive here from this government.
You extend the state of emergency if you are taking orders from someone else. Those “principalities and powers” at the top of the pyramid have no interest in ending this scamdemic until all their goals are met. In 2017 The World Bank, published data that the completion date for the “COVID-19 project” would be 2025.