Opposition Leader: Rowley must act urgently to protect citizens

Leader of the Opposition, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, SC, MP,

On the day Trinidad and Tobago recorded its highest fatality rate of Covid and 11 families were plunged into mourning the Prime Minister sought to attack from his ivory tower.

66 people have died in 12 days. The Covid death toll stands at 235.

Day after day our nation records heart-breaking statistics which could have been prevented if there was an effective Government in place.

People of Trinidad and Tobago please understand we are facing a Covid crisis because:

1. The Government did NOT take swift action to procure vaccines.

2. The Government did NOT secure our borders.

3. The Government did NOT seek the guidance of other experts but keeps relying on the same failed team.

4. The Government did NOT partner with stakeholders including the private sector, Opposition and others to fight this pandemic united with all hands on deck.

5. The Government did NOT think beyond closing the (air) borders.

Now, when all the institutions and medical staff are under pressure and this deadly virus is plaguing our population resulting in a worrying mortality rate, the Prime Minister’s main concern is to bully and beat his chest to gloat that the two field hospitals that were donated by the United States Government are the result of an agreement made dating back to last year.

Okay, Prime Minister. Do you feel better? Can you now please take action and protect our citizens?

The suggestion of mobile hospital units was made on Monday and a couple of days later we saw the field hospitals being rolled out.

Again, thank you to the United States Government for giving this to the people of Trinidad and Tobago.

Seeing that Dr Rowley can turn to social media to swiftly sulk and boast, can he please answer:

What are the ICU and HDU capacity and capability?

Why is the mortality rate at record highs?

Are the deaths mostly persons who did not survive ICU?

What percentage of new cases are the result of the Brazilian P1 variant? Do we have a strategy to specifically deal with this?

How many Covid cases have died at their homes without hospital care?

How many doctors and nurses are assigned to look after these critical cases in the hospitals?

Is it true there are woeful resources resulting in a lack of proper and stringent monitoring care to look after critical patients?

Do we have enough medicines to look after the sick?

Given the high rate of infection, what’s the backup plan to expand bed space and the Covid front line team?

What policy is there to ensure that persons who are tested swiftly get back their results?

What monitoring mechanisms are there to ensure the health of positive persons in-home quarantine?

Are persons in-home quarantine being tracked to ensure asymptomatic cases are not moving about spreading the virus?

Have there been any discussions with private hospitals and health care providers to have a comprehensive testing plan and line of care?

What plan of action is there to ensure our patient services at hospitals and health centres are ongoing and not just shut down?

What’s the vaccine plan? Are we going to be solely reliant on China for vaccines? If yes, what is the exact time frame for arrival?

Why are the private abs business sectors not being allowed to source vaccines in partnership with the Government?

Before the Prime Minister can accuse anyone of being shameless and disrespectful he ought to take a very hard and long look in the mirror.

He is a failed leader with no plan while our nation suffers.

In the absence of proper leadership, I urge the population to please safeguard themselves, get vaccinated, avoid movement, follow the worldwide protocol of social distancing, mask-wearing, and get tested if you experience any symptoms whatsoever.

Exercise personal responsibility, be your brother’s and sister’s keeper and let us get through this pandemic together in prayer and unity among the people.

Kamla Persad-Bissessar, SC, MP
Leader of the Opposition