Statement by Opposition Leader Philip J. Pierre on Saint Lucia’s COVID-19 situation:
From the outset of the COVID19 pandemic, the Saint Lucia Labour Party has always made it very clear that it stood ready to cooperate with the Government to secure and protect the people of Saint Lucia from the scourge of the virus. It was for this reason that we agreed, although with reservations, to the initial imposition of the State of Emergency which the Government had applied in March.
In addition, we have always urged the people of Saint Lucia, whom we always put first, to observe the protocols that have been mandated by the Chief Medical Officer in order to control the pandemic including the wearing of masks.
As the country is now facing what is seemingly a fresh outbreak of the virus, and a very concerning one as it appears to have the signs of in country transmission, we are calling upon everyone to be careful and to take the necessary steps to protect themselves. While we understand that there is public dissatisfaction with the Government, and at this time in particular for their handling of Case number 29, and that the ruling party’s surrogates have not helped the situation with their unfounded aspersions on the Saint Lucia Labour Party for its recent successful protest march, we however do not wish to worsen the people’s credibility problem with the Government. We therefore urge all citizens to cooperate with the authorities and for all those requested to take the COVID 19 test, to do so and follow the directives of the CMO.
We have always made it our duty, from the beginning to impress upon the Government, the necessity of dealing with economic and social implications of the corona virus pandemic, in tandem with its health consequences. Therefore, like all Saint Lucians, we are exceedingly alarmed that the Prime Minister announced last Sunday that the country is broke and he has no more money to finance badly needed social stabilization programmes. This is not just the result of the economic fallout of COVID 19 but is also due to the Prime Minister’s poor management of the country’s finances during the last four and a half years. We have repeatedly sounded warnings about this and we urge the Prime Minister to be transparent and inform the country on the real state of the economy. This dreadful economic situation requires full disclosure and transparency with the people of Saint Lucia.
We appeal to all Saint Lucians to do everything that is necessary to protect themselves from COVID 19, to limit the spread of the virus in the country so that the economic and social situation does not worsen.
