Opposition Leader Lennox Linton has expressed concern about the lack of Dominica’s preparedness to fight the dreadful Coronavirus (COVID-19).
“We are not ready, let’s stop dreaming…,” he said during a live interview on Q-95 Radio Talk on the Block Programme on Wednesday. “This is not to be negative or to criticize anybody; this is just about the facts and the reality at this time.”
According to him, Dominica does not have a budget for any single response activity related to COVID-19.
“Where is the readiness?” he asked
Linton reiterated his call 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.
He also reiterated his call for a meeting of Parliament by today, Thursday, March 19 citing the need to appropriate money to fund measures for combatting the dreaded virus.
Preventing the coronavirus is better than trying to cure it, the opposition leader pointed out.
“We have to see how we can try to prevent it as long as possible, how we can delay this thing as long as possible,” Linton contended. “Because it is going to completely overwhelm our healthcare system.”
He urged the people of Dominica once again to stay calm and protect themselves, “don’t panic, protect, defend, prepare- prepare for what is coming.”
“Governments can do all that they can do to detect, to prevent, to respond rapidly in the event of sickness and illness…at the end of the day it is up to us eventually and how well our immune system can fight against this virus, so let’s focus on that. Let’s pay attention,” he advised. “Let us take care of yourself; let’s take care of our loved ones. Let’s protect our elderly; let’s protect the vulnerable among us, those above 70, those who have preexisting conditions…”
Dominica is fortunate, Linton said, as there are no reported cases, “And it almost seems as though we are waiting for it to arrive for us to do some of the things that are necessary to be done.”
He believes that people are panicking because they are not receiving adequate information from relevant authorities.
“People will panic when they are not given the correct information; they are not given adequate information and people will panic when they don’t trust the leadership guidance that is being provided,” Linton declared.
Are you for real?
So why did Dominicans did not give him the mandate to run things?
Linton is even worst than the virus that is spreading.
@Man bite dogs, I want to let you know personally, that your observation is right on–speaking about Hector John in the USA
Maybe that is the reason Linton is so certain the Corvid-19 will strike Dominica. This man is very strange and the more I read what he speaks the stranger he seems to me.
Did he say Fifty million dollars? 25% infected? The man even knows how many cases of the illness will be serious and hospitalized. No wonder his elected party is only 3. You are right to say that he is a comedian. His concerns are like that of the 3 foolish people (about father mother and daughter) He speaks on behalf of the other 2.
I am just wondering why Telemaque never has something to say about that kind of madness instead, of always castigating my opinion, as if what he says can change my mind.
Hi Elizabeth, Good day and stay safe from that nasty Virus Covid-19, Now for sometimes I have been noticing that other virus person has been attacking your views just because you are a Labour supporter and most of all your religion belief without mentioning names this guy is a disgusting idiot and a bloody failure to put it lightly just ignore him he is a clay monkey 🐒and orders like him are joining him on top of the tree.
Elizabeth, you are really out of tune and decorum. Read that nonsense you just wrote below. It tells us that you are really not in touch and read the latest news to know and understand before you talk and open BS, as to what the update is of this virus. It is like the weather forecast given often and accurately that we as the public will be prepared. But you pen absolutely nonsense just to get an our decent Hon. Linton and not focus on the message and that is why you pen illiterate BS.
Maybe that`s your reason, that Linton maybe certain that the Corvid-19 may strike us. This man is very strange and the more I read what he speaks the stranger he seems to me. Hon Linton is highly professional. You behave strangely because you are illiterate of his intellectual, meaning that you are unable to comprehend that bigger picture that he educates us on and want us to be prepared including you and your family. Elizabeth make sure you`re well read before you make a fool of yourself.
Be Guide.
Well, mother goose has once again believe she laid a golden egg!
You told me that at twelve years old you finished elementary, and began teaching; those were the years when the colonial power Britain prepared our school curriculum; hence you were perhaps forced to teach your village children that sort of crap eh!
Today we are in the twenty-first, almost the twenty-second century you are still into nursery rhyme entertaining Man Dog, who I believe he and Roosevelt Skerrit are one of the same eh!
So, I connor you and exposed the fact you do not know Lennox Linton; now you have a new target, Spags.
Why don’t you simply engage in teaching Man Dog, and that corrupted crook doctor Punjab Dusquesne HIFU triple doctor Me Almost Nearly Cousin that Mountain Chicken Mentality Ali Baba Sir Knight Roosevelt Skerrit how to read and write Kindergarten nursery songs?
Hopeful, this summer I will knock on your door, Rendy too, you might ride with us in my Jaguar this time!
Man go sit yourself in a corner. What can be done is being done..supplies, training, testing is being done, precautionary quarantine..what can be done is being done and then some. The schools however should have been closed..that I have an issue with. Public gatherings and any sporting events should be banned temporarily. I know the economic impact closure of our borders could have so I pray that in keeping them open the vigilance on the part of the COVID-19 team is excessive.
I don’t think that there is a lack of preparedness, at least not as extreme as Lennox is making it out to be. I just think that more can be done to encourage social distancing and eliminating unnecessary commutes – if there is no pressing need to be in town, stay home, if there is no pressing need to hold meetings, then don’t etc.
But I think so far they are doing a good job.
Don’t you think your intelligence surpasses the worst form of ignorance?
They say ignorance is bliss; that is: to reach a state of perfect happiness, typically so as to be oblivious of everything else.
All of you in Dominica at this time seems to be at that point at this time; by the time some of you will want to heed the words and thoughts of Lennox the whole country might be dead!
In what way do you believe poor behind Dominica is prepared for this pandemic disease which is ravaging the entire universes?
I live in Los Angeles California, there are forty plus million people residing in the state of California; it’s officially noted by the government that before they get control of the virus; 60% of the people here will get infected; and unless you do not understand how much is 60% of the population, say I taught you that is actually twenty-four (24,000,000.00) million people will get the virus!
Insulting Lennox won’t help.
Dominica approximately 25-30,000 people!
Well said Hon Linton. Thanks for looking our for ur people. We need to have early intervention to be prepared for any eventful cases of this disease comes about. Our people need to be educated and informed as to what they should be doing in preparedness.
Thanks Hon. Linton for intervening and asking on our behalf and shows that you are this decent person who is knowledgeable of what it means by “Disaster preparedness”, and your important roe as Opposition Leader. therefore one way or the another our people must be prepared and informed daily as to the current situation that all are able to prepare themselves in the event this virus takes stick in our Dominica. We therefore ust Protect our people and we need to hear more form this questionable government. Thanks Hon. Linton for alerting us, in your role as Leader of the Opposition. You have come forward early ahead of Skerrit and his failed Labour government to have our people in preparedness mode that we are not affected in anyway.
We were informed that there is no covid 19 in DA and encoraged to boost our immune system and practice good hygiene. In the meantime preparation for room care is being put in place..you want to donate a house Lennox? Go ahead donate a house and othere equipments and stop your bla bla bla. The authorities are in the process of putting things in place so fall in line and stop making people panic.
Dominica and Dominicans will regret the day they rejected you. Dominica needs leadership that is woefully lacking. Do we have a quarantine center? No. If the most basic requirement is absent how can someone claim to be prepared for the arrival of the virus. Our borders are wide open with no limitations so it is not if but when the virus will be identified.
Lennox, get a life, I am sick of all your nonsense talk. Stop talking BS. You said all the other islands are prepared, yet they have reported cases. Dominica has not. You said the PMs of the other islands are true leaders except Skerrit, yet we have not reported one case and the other islands have. Lennox, go get a job and do something with your life. You will never be a PM of Dominica. Stop fooling Dominicans. We need a handsome and intelligent, and educated man to run Dominica.
Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. This Cabinet is comprised of a sorry bunch of misfits, money hoarders and mental invalids. They show a depraved indifference for the people’s’ life.
A A , Malaprop Ibo France, you alive?
You suddenly woke up from the 18-3 Acoma?
Simple Lenox your behavior is frightening, because you are exploiting the pandemic situation for gains. That’s sickening and childish behavior to instill fear, anxiety and mass chaos in the populace at a time of uncertainties. At a time like that you should be calming the fears not wishing for the epidemic to hit Dominica for you to say, I TOLD YOU SO, no that’s not normal behavior. God has protected us from you and the pandemic and he will continue, ……….!
Could someone please ask Mr Linton to propose ideas that he thinks will aid in preventing this virus and help us to be prepared?
People will still panic whether or not they have information. The covid19 virus is worldwide and so, adequate information IS available….so I disagree with your statement on that. You or anyone else can’t make people wash their hands properly or to practice proper hygiene. Its entirely up to ALL of us to take the necessary steps to protect ourselves. However I do support your efforts to get our people on board in the fight to save our island from the dreaded virus.
Well boy, you probably heard that Dominica is a resilient country that is always first in everything!
We were even the first to be able to test for the virus in the entire Caribbean. You may have heard that silly boy McIntyre made that nonsensical claim as he said they have a different entrance into the hospital for victims of the virus to enter, and another for other patients.
Such foolish comments can only come from someone who lacks knowledge in science, and medicine in general; what that guy don’t know is that the virus is also air-bound!
The virus multiplies exponentially, as expressed by a mathematical exponent; that means values distributed exponentially according to a given time constant.
Simple: if there are ten people with the virus today, by tomorrow there could forty or a hundred contaminated by the original ten people.
We do not have hospitals in Dominica to accommodate an epidemic of any magnitude, how can Roosevelt be prepared when we lack hospital…
F E D T, is idiots like you that mislead people’
You tend to believe you are Mr. Know it all.
Where did you get that information that the virus is AIR-BOUND?
In which science book did you read this?
Go do some research A###hole!
Lennox the people of Dominica has no confidence in you and your rhetoric, stop your politicking. There isn’t a single case of the virus on the island and you are still blowing hot air from your back door, please shut it. Do you really believe people with common sense are listening to your fear mongering. Again you are just showing us that you don’t have the ability or the intellectual capability to led the nation, rather your opportunistic ways is getting the best of you. Views expressed you are too scary for me to face you daily.
Ma Sen Joe, you have just belittled the name of our village Sen Joe (preferable St. Joseph). As a matter of fact, you do not represent us and our people.
Hon Linton is right on que and that is the mistake than many countries did and now suffering with high death and sickness because they refused to take advice earlier.
Ma Sen Jo, you have failed to comprehend this message from our Hon Linton. For your information it is to get us alert and not get caught off hand, like Italy and others have.
You seem to just open empty brain and conclude that you are Doc. …..and shout out fear without any justification and you do this just to get at Hon Linton who is busy monitoring this virus as it travels willingly and daily.
This idiotic statement is illiterate: “There isn’t a single case of the virus on the island and you are still blowing hot air from your back door. Be advised.
So Ma Sen Jo, please go for the bigger picture that you are able to analyse and to help us read well…
Linton, stop playing politics with an issue as serious as that. You keep saying that Dominica is lucky that we have not as yet reported a confirmed case of Coronavirus – Could it be because we have a very small population which make it easier to control the arrival of this virus on our shores or maybe the systems that are in place are quite adequate, hence no COVID-19 as yet? I sometimes get the impression that some of you guys are angry that the COVID-19 virus is not yet on our shores so you can point your fingers at the Prime minister and his administration for COVID-19 being present in the world.
I am afraid that we Will not have the ressources to help our people if covid 19 comes to Dominica. When we hear what is happening in europe, Canada and the US right now, it scares me.
China has recovered but Will they be able to assist us?
What measures are there if we have to close schools, businesses, and the self employed.
I am sorry to say but prayer may not save ud.
Work together pray forget about red and blue just come together as a nation and thing of the best for our country
Well said “Maybe”, but its not maybe, its “Get it done. Lets all pray together as you advised. We are all Dominicans. Let us comment, challenged, ask questions, but let`s not get personal and attacked anyone, any politician unnecessary. We can comment on faults as we see, it is helpful to all of us, but we must get it right especially those in high authority and accountable that our Dominica remains safe. Isle of Beauty – Isle of Splendour.
We need decent government, (We already have a very decent Opposition Party) also we need a decent Prime Minister, decent Cabinet, decent leaders and decent Political Parties.
GEez!! freedom of speech needs to be limited to people with POSITIVE CONSTRUCTIVE information!
IF YOU DON’T KNOW..SHUT UP! This man right here DON’T KNOW! He is not the GVT and he is clueless. SHUT UP MAN. just be quiet!
Island Girl…lol..lol…I hope you will shut your mouth….as a matter of fact…….”IF YOU DON’T KNOW..SHUT UP!”. Please go do some reading and research before yo just blindly make a point that makes absolutely no sense. top being personal and showing favouritism to a politician. Go do your research, rad, analyse, consider the bigger picture. re read yu0r thoughts before you open absolute rubbish on DNO and then make your comments have see that we are able to support you in your views, that will always be welcome. God luck to you . Hon Linton is a decent politican and a decent Dominican. On the other hand Skerrit and his corru-t Labour government has failed us.
We are still asking questions of the abuse of our states funds, the taxes we pay to government and now this failed Skerrit uses our money and created: 1.The Bin Bobol, 2.The Fertilizer Bobol, 3.The Passport Bobol and the 4.Red Clinic Bobol meaning having people come to office and just gives our states money.Skerrit Get…
No doubt the opposition Leader is the one running Dominica especially during crisis. I know Skerrit is the paid PM but he only implements suggestions of Mr. Linton, even if it takes weeks before his does so. Because of politics he might dress the ideas of Linton with his own clothes to make it look like it’s his plan but clearly, Lennox Linton leads and Skerrit follows. That’s why I will continue to say that it is a shame that Linton is not PM, so like Joseph in the bible, he would prepare ahead of time before disaster and would be in a position not only to keep us safe but have things in place that would ensure our prosperity in the midst of disaster. I must admit that bI still Red but it is clear who is the brain and has the vision, love and competence.