Press conference with Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley following a meeting of the Social Partnership – July 27, 2021. (PMO)

Members of the Social Partnership have agreed that it is in their interest to strongly advocate for regular testing, as well as that vaccinations be taken by all Barbadians and all persons living here.

Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley shared this yesterday during a press conference at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, where the tripartite body had earlier met.

The Prime Minister, elaborating on the issue, said the group was satisfied that vaccinations reduced the level of sickness, the possibility of death and the incidence of transmission of the COVID-19 virus.

She continued: “And therefore, without prejudice for our waiting for the opinion and doing the consultations on mandatory testing and mandatory vaccinations, we have all agreed that we will ramp up our own internal communication, as well as our public education programme, recognising that we also still have to balance it with supply of vaccines, which we are still awaiting additional ones.”

Supporting the Prime Minister, General Secretary of the Barbados Workers’ Union, Senator Toni Moore, said her organisation was all for the sensitisation of the public.

“From our standpoint, we regard that the best way that we are going to get cooperation by everybody is if people are fully educated and are aware of what the issues are and what is at stake and that is something that we can’t take for granted.

“And, it is for that reason in particular that we fully support a campaign or an initiative to pursue a sensitisation programme which does not present a shadow of force on people but it presents an opportunity for each citizen that is not fully aware of the issues, all the pros and cons surrounding what we are dealing with…. So, we are on board and we look forward to these discussions rolling out, over the next few weeks,” she emphasised.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Barbados Private Sector Association, Edward Clarke, noted the association was committed to working with the Social Partnership over the next few weeks to come to a position “workable for all Barbadians”. 

Adamant that his grouping had not changed its opinion on the need for mandatory vaccination and increased testing across the island, he urged Barbadians to follow the health protocols, get vaccinated and get tested as regularly as possible.

joy-ann.gill@barbados.gov.bb

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