Dominica’s opposition leader calls for bipartisan parliamentary committee to fight coronavirus

Linton speaking at a consultation on the COVID-19 virus on Friday 

Leader of the United Workers Party (UWP), Lennox Linton, has called for a bipartisan committee of the parliament as part of efforts to combat the coronavirus (COVID-19) contagion in Dominica.

He said this committee should be formed to ensure that preparedness is at the very highest level and to ensure minimal impact of the virus as much as possible.

“ We need to have a bipartisan committee of the parliament at work on this COVID-19 pandemic, providing guidance, budgetary support [and] making sure we have the resources dedicated to whatever we need to put in place to get ourselves ready,” he said at a COVID-19 consultation on Friday.

Meantime, Linton said early travel bans in Dominica will aid in the preventing the virus from reaching the country’s shores.

“In Dominica, the virus is not going to suddenly emerge; somebody is going to bring it in… are we timid or are we shy about closing our borders to travel from certain parts of the world as we try to make sure that this stays away from us for as long as possible?” he asked.

The opposition leader noted that both China and the United States of America have both benefited from early travel bans in the management of this matter.

“If we keep our ports open to the cruise industry for the next couple of months…what is the benefit of that as opposed to the benefit of locking it down now and watching the next couple of months making sure that we are safe?”

He said these are tough decisions to make but he is sure that they will be made.

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32 Comments

  1. pureblackmagic
    March 19, 2020

    Honorable Linton, you can lead these cows to the River of education and empowerment but these cows will not admit they’re thirsty and drink.

  2. viewsexpressed
    March 19, 2020

    ““ We need to have a bipartisan committee of the parliament at work on this COVID-19 pandemic, providing guidance, budgetary support [and] making sure we have the resources dedicated to whatever we need to put in place to get ourselves ready,” he said at a COVID-19 consultation on Friday.”
    Well said Leader of the Opposition Hon Linton. We welcome this message that you have directed to the Prime Minister and his ministers. This is of importance and there must be some affiliated Team to monitor, comprehend and apply the challenges before us. This is of prime concern. This is not about UWP, DLP, Skerrit or Linton.
    We all must work together within our communities to the following key guidelines issued by the department responsible for disaster mitigation.
    There is one person to dismiss, this weird “Man bites dog” who is worse than the hurricane, explicitly disgusting and boyish in his attempted foul words who does not in any way attempt to embrace the efforts of all those…

  3. Alicia Pinard
    March 18, 2020

    The word HONOR most not be used for any type of person .Linton does not deserve that title.

    And Linton u really will use any situation for your political agenda what the HELL U TALKING ABOUT ….?

  4. March 17, 2020

    Linton, get a life and stop being an a..-hole. I am sick of your nonsense talk and, there are these stupid, gullible people swallowing your nonsense. What more do you want the PM to do other than what the PM and the Minister of Health are doing? Go find yourself a job and take care of your family. You are trying to score political points but, it will backfire on you as always. You literally make no sense at all. You are just another anarchist and pariah.

  5. Concerned Dominican
    March 17, 2020

    Mr. Lennox Linton i admire your contribution to this new challenge our country is facing. People the biggest solution is for all to take individual responsibility. Be your brother’s keeper. Practice good hygiene like washing your hand properly. If one have any symptoms self isolation should be done. We can overcome Covid-19 by being proactive and stop spreading all these rumours.

  6. Thanks
    March 17, 2020

    Lenox don’t you get tired of being an unpaid clown, a leopard can’t change it’s spots. It’s my dam business, calling a press conference to praise yourself afterwards is a person with low low self standards and esteem.

  7. 💕Me💕
    March 17, 2020

    Views expressed, Lexicon your intention is always political and to undermine the Skerrit Administration. Mr. Skerrit is the duly elected leader of Dominica. Stop playing political games in a time of uncertainty like now. Instead of going through the protocol you are seating in front of a mike and wanting to sound relevant, all words and no action! Calling a press conference and blowing hot air from the back door is another one of your failed political stunt. Get a life, because, you are just instilling fear and chaos in people’s mind.

  8. Batibou River
    March 17, 2020

    Skerrit won’t pay you any mind, Lennox. The ports of entry should have been closed days ago. Let him get on with it. He will mess it all up as per usual. Question is who will he blame for HIS failure.

  9. Bob Denis
    March 17, 2020

    Linton seems to be a very Egocentric, lack of proper info , makes the tongue ones greatest enemy. As we speak, Haiti of all places is Virous free, while her neighbor Domingo is in KANGA, Dominica, Grenada, Bahama Ils have not been touched, is this a coincidence? the hands of Man, the Caucasian for that matter should be the vision of our attention. Make no bones about this Virous, it did not originated in China, and like all the previous Biotec Weapons of Mass destruction, the Alliance of the Northern Hemisphere, certainly, are not living in clean houses . The International Political turmoil that was planted over the last 3yrs, we are uprooting it in the present, Global chaos is the commodity thats being sold in the market place. The Archons are in control, forcing you to spend what you cant afford, Destroy the impoverish Economy, while the People capitulate, Ignorance and Death the end result, especially for the IMMUNE sagging Aged in our midst.

  10. Auntie Buitre
    March 17, 2020

    Download document here: https://www.who.int/publications-detail/strategic-preparedness-and-response-plan-for-the-new-coronavirus

    Strategic preparedness and response plan for the new coronavirus

    This strategic preparedness and response plan outlines the public health measures that the international community stands ready to provide to support all countries to prepare for and respond to COVID-19. The document takes what we have learned so far about the virus and translates that knowledge into strategic action that can guide the efforts of all national and international partners when developing context-specific national and regional operational plans.

  11. Auntie Buitre
    March 17, 2020

    Dominica is following expert strategies from many international organizations and local Caribbean resources to manage the COVID-19 outbreak. These include CARPHA, PAHO, WHO, CDC, ECDC.

    Most of us, myself included, may be well educated in one thing or another, but lets leave epidemiology, virology, emergency medicine and management of the pandemic to those who have the expertise. Of course if you want to study the documentation in details there are many papers available. This one is interesting from the UWI Task Force.

    UWI COVID-19 Task Force COVID-19 Task Force Management Plan

    https://www.onecaribbean.org/wp-content/uploads/UWI-COVID-19-Task-Force-09_03_2020.pdf

  12. Auntie Buitre
    March 17, 2020

    We really don’t need an idiot politician making noise when the entire Caribbean along with WHO, CDC et al already have detailed plans. The Minister of Health is following these plans. If you are interested here is one document of many:

    https://www.onecaribbean.org/wp-content/uploads/UWI-COVID-19-Task-Force-09_03_2020.pdf

  13. Man bite dogs
    March 17, 2020

    Anyone of you so-called workers followers that believe Lennox Linton, has a chance of doing a better job than Pm Skerrit, have to be out of your calabash heads that guy is useless in every aspect of life in order words a failure not even his so-called workers comedians he can get to behave properly in public Linton, stop trying to full the public this is not a game it is life and death, we need common sense and not comedians.

  14. star40
    March 17, 2020

    Can someone please explain to me how did the United States benefit from the travel ban it imposed on China? How? Which United States are you talking about? Are you watching the news? Was there even a travel ban? Planes were coming to JFK from parts of China and there was no one to check any ones temperature. The only people who were quarantined were those who the U.S flew in from Wuhan. Get your facts straight. You need to assess the situation in Dominica. Stop looking to the U.S they ar not looking at us. Plus do you recall you are a very small minority? Mn chill.

  15. Dogs & Swine
    March 16, 2020

    Linton I love and respect you but my problem with you is, you not hearing. Gason let Skerrit run his thing he and his ministers so when he does the thing of Jim Jones they will not blame you. Yes I know you love Dominica and want to do your best to save her. But sometimes people only appreciate the well when there is no water. Stop casting holy bread before swine and dogs is what Jesus taught us because they will never appreciate it.

  16. Man bites dogs
    March 16, 2020

    Mad mad madman Linton, what world are you leaving in cant you see this is a world wide Virus it’s all over the place big rich countries can’t stop it at the moment it’s just a matter of time before it gets to Dominica Lennox you are completely wrong America has not benefit from early travel bans ……. you just trying to undermine Prime minister Skerrit so far he is doing a dam good job you and your clowns can push off to hell thank you…

    • boto
      March 17, 2020

      Linton is correct and you know it. If Dominica close its ports to all those countries that are impacted by this virus, there is a good chance we wont get it. If we dont sgut down, as it seems you’re suggesting then that suicide.

    • Dean A
      March 17, 2020

      I am sorry but you’re talking absolute nonsense and this is just more a matter of politics than sense you’re talking about. We get it -you don’t like Linton. I am not his biggest fan either, however, what he’s saying is absolutely making sense. This is a pandemic that has spread across the world and it had a point of origin. It could only spread across the world because people were carrying it across the seas. It could only get into a country because it was allowed in through the borders. The man is just saying close those borders and assess the situation. He is also saying that a bipartisan approach is what is needed. Stop making this an argument about who you like and who you don’t like in politics. Even if you think the guy is useless he is not speaking nonsense. And he most certainly is not “mad”.

      Early travel bands in china would have stopped this becoming a pandemic and there is nothing anybody can say to deny that fact. Furthermore it is politicians who made this…

    • OG
      March 17, 2020

      even a broken clock displays the correct time twice a day and Linton is as broken as the worst clock. but for once he is correct on stopping the cruise ships. you are correct that this is an international virus and it will come to Dominica. but do you want one isolated case from a plane that can be contained or do you want to risk a cruise ship docking where 20 passengers spread it all over Dominica on the same day (entire cruise ships get infected as has been shown). Multiple Dominican will all be infected on the same day but none will show symptoms for 4 or 5 day thus spreading it in many places all over the island all at the same time. And just like that Dominica will be facing wide spread community transmission. This has nothing to do with Linton v Skerrit, this is about medical safeguarding the citizens of Dominica. The virus knows no political party and the way to stop it also knows no political party.

    • uppperpenville
      March 17, 2020

      Seriously!!!! that’s your best in this time haven’t you being check the news around you neighboring Island are shutting down their borders all you care about is Skerrit image check yourself first Man bites dogs look for the main dog to bite. :lol: :lol:

    • LANGSAL
      March 17, 2020

      i cannot believe in these times with this deadly virus you can make this asinine comment.
      the only person or entity who loves humans to suffer and die is the devil and his minon devils, that is why you are been tempted to type this koshonie…. and i conclude that your PM is working for the devils because he refuses to taake precaution by closing the borders of dominica

    • March 17, 2020

      Hi man bite dog…the rabbis have you sort…tell me..do you ever seek remedy for your rabbis…how did you end up biting dogs?

    • viewsexpressed
      March 18, 2020

      Man Bites Dog, I am wondering if your senses and thoughts has been bitten (Bites)by teats and fleas from that or those Dogs of yours? I wonder sometimes if you just wake and pen nonsense daily rather than first research and gather the relevant evidence and concerned before you pen these blatant, idoitic, useless views and comments. This is our Dominica that is at stake now with lack of resources in many ways that you must be aware of. I acknowledge you efforts to express your concern as a Dominican who cares, but you must put in context those views of yours that we are able to read and welcome it in the best way possible to appreciate it. Please give some thoughts to this, do some research, understand the bigger picture that affect our people in this struggling, poverty, jobless Dominica. We need to get at failed Skerrit leadership and his failed useless Labour government who are still wondering what is the purpose of socio-economic development & what role can you play in this?

    • viewsexpressed
      March 18, 2020

      I am deliberately sharing this with this so called “Man Bites Dogs” .
      This was penned by: “It’s my damn business”
      March 16, 2020
      Hon Linton good observation and that would be the right thing to do in any real country. However, that is not for Skerrit because Skerrit is not about Dominica and what is in our best interest but rather, he is only about what is in his best interest and therefore dividing us and keeping us divided is in his best interest and so he will keep it. Secondly, let’s not forget that Skerrit himself told us that Dominica is not a real control
      Well-loved. Like 23 or Dislike: 13
      The author of this got a high rating of “Like” of 23. That`s good going, well script.
      “Hon Linton good observation and that would be the right thing to do in any real country.”

    • viewsexpressed
      March 19, 2020

      “Man Bites Dirty Polluted Dog”. Are you for real. Don`t you get the bigger picture of what is happening. You`re so ignorant where government and people all over the world have come together to address this Virus and how best to share information that is relevant to assist every government and country on how best to address this contagious disease.
      Your thoughts and intellectual is dumb and with some level of impaired disease playing inside that illiterate brains of yours. I can prove this because you have failed again not sufficiently academic to read, analyse and address the message that Hon Linton and others have given us in support of all to quickly address this disease haunting us and many other countries.
      Man BS Dog, your focus isn`t Dominica & its people. You out there barking “Woof-Woof” disturbing neighbours and talking BS nonsense where you`re dumb to address matters of state to ensure that our people are safe. You`re an …… Hon.Linton is a decent professional…

  17. OG
    March 16, 2020

    anyone wondering if Dominica should act now to stop allowing cruise ships to dock and block new visitors from the UK, EU and USA or wait until there are confirmed cases in Dominica should look at this analysis of what happens to country’s that wait. It is a couple of days old but proving all too true in France and Spain and soon will be for the USA as well. The cost of allowing COVID-19 into Dominica is going to be a 100 to 1,000,000 times more expensive than what will be lost by acting now.

    https://medium.com/@tomaspueyo/coronavirus-act-today-or-people-will-die-f4d3d9cd99ca

    • SayItHowItIs
      March 17, 2020

      Haven’t you been reading or listening to the news. Dominicans have a problem in listening to the news and turning everything political. The government have been doing a damn good job keeping people informed with preventative measures and monitoring. All you fools only talking about closing down ports. W.H.O has a protocol for all islands and we are following the script. This virus killing people and the economy. Why would I stop cruise ships from coming when they were tested on the boat and found negative? We need to make the best decisions at the right time, is not just making decisions.

      All you talking we don’t have not one single case in Dominica as of date. This virus attack on the world is unprecedented. Stop running all you mouth. Lenox forever trying to twist things into a political drama. All you want to close schools, ports, airport. We are not the only ones combatting this stop running up Mouths.

    • Parallels
      March 17, 2020

      OG, THIS IS NO JOKE thanks for the link. This is very high level analytics, hope the higher ups read this for perspective, for what it’s worth.

  18. It's my damn business
    March 16, 2020

    Hon Linton good observation and that would be the right thing to do in any real country. However, that is not for Skerrit because Skerrit is not about Dominica and what is in our best interest but rather, he is only about what is in his best interest and therefore dividing us and keeping us divided is in his best interest and so he will keep it. Secondly, let’s not forget that Skerrit himself told us that Dominica is not a real control

    • Sssmmhhh
      March 17, 2020

      This is just totally unbelievable!!!!! I never imagined that Dominicans would allow politics to take over their entire brain so much that even in the case of this pandemic politics is at the forefront!!! People are dying from this virus and allllllllllllll you all are concerned about is stupid politics???????? Ridiculous!!!!!

    • EIFILE
      March 17, 2020

      If you have the country who could save a life would you have deny them? we had the election,carnival and so forth. THE FIRST and resilience country in the world proven.the trees,rivers and nature saved us.we are in control and not Skerrit,,he still behave like a village ram with no standards. Have faith my people have faith.

    • viewsexpressed
      March 18, 2020

      “It`s my damn business”, I concur and share what you have expressed there. Great Effort, and I have taken a piece of your comments that our people read and understand what your concerns are.
      “However, that is not for Skerrit because Skerrit he is not about Dominica and what is in our best interest but rather, he is only about what is in his best interest.”
      Many people I have spoken to, both here and overseas share this same concern with a feeling of doubt that his man Skerrit has the fortitude, maturity, management and intellectual to be leader of our Domininca where we feel he has failed us and our Nature Isle having been in this office over 19 years now. We need to open us a people that Skerrit hears loudly that we are fed up with him and has not got what it takes to be this Prime Minister. Dominica is still in poverty and Skerrit has killed our agriculture and now into the sales passport scams. Now the big question is; where is our money, how much have we received? Answer…

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