The Antigua and Barbuda government has just announced sweeping mandatory vaccination measures there, the first Caribbean country to do so.
Information Minister Melford Nicholas told a Cabinet press conference moments ago, that COVID-19 has posed extreme hardship along with the pain and anguish of families due to untimely and unnecessary loss of loved ones.
Six people died of COVID-19 in the twin island state on Tuesday and the Gaston Brown-led administration said the pandemic has caused tremendous economic dislocations, social disruptions and psychological trauma.
With close to 800 active cases, the administration said further, that Covid-19 represents an existential threat and the government calls on the entire nation, private and public sectors and civil society to lend support in this endeavor by adopting and promoting policies to arrest the effects of this deadly virus.
Policy on the management of Covid-19 states that with effect from 20th September, 2021 Cabinet agreed that all unvaccinated government employees to include the public service, statutory corporations and companies in which the government owns majority shares, shall be required to remain at home until proof of vaccination is provided.
And with effect from 1st October, all unvaccinated public sector employees, inclusive of statutory corporations and companies of which the government holds majority shares, shall be required to remain at home until proof of Covid-19 vaccination.
Additionally, as of 1st October, 2021, No Public Sector Employees, inclusive of Statutory Corporations and companies of which the government holds majority shares shall be paid a salary or wage for the period of non-compliance with the current policy;
All officers and support staff of the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda and the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force are required to be vaccinated, effective 1st October 2021 as well.
Meanwhile, trade Unions and Employee Associations shall be permitted to conduct educational awareness sessions via virtual and face-to-face engagements.
As it relates to school, all eligible students and teachers shall be required to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to return to face to face classes and all pre-school and primary school teachers shall be required to be fully vaccinated before returning to face-to-face classes
All caregivers and support staff are also required to be fully vaccinated to provide services at elderly care facilities and arriving passengers including returning nationals and residents are required to have received at least the first dose of a vaccine approved by the appropriate authorities in Antigua and Barbuda.
Beaches are to be closed between 12 noon and 5:am daily commencing 20th September, 2021 and bus drivers, conductors and taxi drivers are required to be vaccinated effective 1st October, 2021
All pleasure craft fetes, parties and entertainment events and excursions around the coastal waters and offshore islands are suspended with effect from 18th September until 29th September, 2021. Thereafter, only authorized excursion will permited by the appropriate authorities;
All Vendors, merchants and service providers and staff operating at the ports of entry are required to be vaccinated.
The government said the appropriate Authority may exempt for persons submitting a medical certificate approved by the Chief Medical Officer or Medical Board or a request approved on religious grounds.
According to the laws governing Antigua and Barbuda, the government can mandate the use of medications that have been proven to save lives, during a pandemic.
With a by-election looming in the Grandbay Constituency, PM Skerrit would NEVER push the Mandatory Vaccination agenda right now. Afterwards? Well lets wait and see. Personally, I believe it’s a person’s right to choose.
Stupid!!!!!
Monkey See, Monkey Do!
Ibo, you are certainly free to agree or disagree with person or policy but you shoud refrain from “ism” laiden comments. I enjoy reading your insightful and mostly spot on and passionate opinion pieces; however, you went a bit off the rails in this instance with your unfortunate “geriatric men” comment…just saying!!!
Appreciate the positive criticism. Try to do better going forward. Thanks!
KID, I’m just an ordinary, humble, taciturn person. However, I’m fiercely against injustice, corruption, inequity, inequality and any manmade obstacles that prevent honest , hardworking people from achieving their fullest potential.
That’s exactly who I am.
I strongly detest corrupt politicians who enrich themselves at the expense of poor, suffering, needy people. It’s an abomination for any political leader to impoverish an entire country while he, his family and his enablers live in unimaginable luxury.
That is the reason I cannot, in good conscience, support a heartless creature like Skerrit whose primary purpose in life is to rub his ostentatious wealthy lifestyle in the faces of those he perceives to be his enemies.
Not because we (Dominicans) support different political parties we should be enemies. We are Dominicans first.
I have not one
If YOU so detest corrupt politicians, why then are you so one sided? Why put so much weight on one side of the scale? You talked of all the corrupt practices of a corrupt politician, do you believe its fair for any opposition LEADER to be enriching himself/herself at the expense of the already poor, suffering, needy people by asking them to take from whatever the little they have and contribute to any account he/she is in control of with no supervision/ accountability to pay for personal court fees and support other personal expenses?
Isn’t that abomination?
With a mandate like this, you think people just give in, get in line for a shot? Maybe a few will, but most likely
+ A bunch of nurses and doctors will quit. When’s best time to reduce your hospital staff, except at the beginning of a covid surge? It’s especially stupid, since PPE protected the staff up till now…
+ A lot of people will lose their jobs. How’s that for boosting your economy during a crisis?
+ You divide your country into Us vs Them, set yourself up for war.
A true leader would focus on unity through the crisis, and a multi pronged approach to keeping people safe while Respecting people’s consciences.
Even if Gaston Brown is on a path to becoming a Dictator like the one here, I applaud him and the Antiguan cabinet for taking such drastic decision. Enough is enough. The only thing I am disappointed in is that they did not make it effective immediately because they all see how covid is decimating Antigua. So Mr. Dictator you now have prescedent so get off your COWARD behind and lay it down.
When for you to be decisive you are pussy-footing.
i agree with you
make it mandatory yes its a person right to choose but when you listening to stupid conspiracy’s that would obviously happen
But Biden did it in the Big USA, No body said anything
Biden’s so called vaccine mandate is nowhere as sweeping and general as this madness. But it’s still unethical and unconstituitonal and you will see what the US supreme court will do with that. And A LOT of people are against it but they don’t show that in the media or when they do it’s to try to discredit those people.
The vaccine is very effective (so they say), so people should take the vaccine to protect themselves and leave people alone who make the choice not to get vaccinated and choose to assume the risks.
Drugs like alcohol and cigarrettes that are responsible for thousands of deaths every year have been legal and sold for years and there is no government mandate for any type of healthy living practise that would help in preventing the number 1 cause of death all over the world (heart disease). So this nonsense about public health and protection is pure BS.
This is the precise problem I have with our people. They have this tendency of thinking that whatever transpires in the US is good for us and we should embrace without hesitation or thinking for ourselves.
Will we ever learn?
With all the anarchy with their elections, police killings, racial inequality, should the US still be considered as the beacon of democracy or the shining star above the top of the hill? Just some food for thought.
Pm please don’t follow those guys with there madness as we speak I kn u r being pressured to do the same these are the things that can bring down a government don’t matter how popular u r go back in history an remember wat happen to pj an his government
Closely examine the photo of Gaston Browne and his Cabinet. Here we have geriatric men of the dinosaur era, implementing dubious policies which will have serious implications for the foreseeable future on a people and their country.
The entire Caribbean region is in deep trouble with these visionless CEO’s with dictatorial intentions in charge.
The last Supper. I know you are longing and craving to see Lennox Linton sit at the head of the dinning room table with his disciples sitting on either side of the table but, that will never happen, not on this earth, not on the next one. It is just wishful thinking. Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. Put it in your pipe and smoke it.
These changes would profoundly affect the lives of every resident Antiguan and Barbudan. Yet, only a few men and women (members of Cabinet) were involved in this decision with has far reaching cnsequences.
No wonder most of the Caribbean countries are experiencing serious social and economic problems. The present CEO’s of these countries scoff at inclusivity and have embraced autocracy.
Gaston Browne can’t locate funds to pay pensioners, repair pothole diseased roads and to correct the daily water problems. Still, he knows it all. The opposition parties, clergy, business sector and other civil organizations are excluded from matters of grave national importance.
Do you know another neighbouring country that has adopted a very similar policy? Both of these two rogue countries are now racing to the bottom of the pile.
YOU have the audacity to say Gaston Browne knows it all?
So where are YOU placing yourself? You believe YOU are the ALPHA and the OMEGA and YOU have a PLASTER for every sore. Take a good look in the mirror!
Just asking. What do you do for a living? You seem to spend 90% of your time on DNO replying to comments and questions. Do you have a family? Do you spend much time with your kids if you do have any? I am not being a policeman, just curious and concerned. And by the way, do you think Skerrit pays any attention to your calling the shots each time he Skerrit says something? Just a concern, not a lecture.
Absolute madness by these wannabe Nebuchadnezzar’s of this era. These guys think they can just run roughshod over the will of the people eh.
WHO or WHAT is orchestrating these ’employees of the people’ to do these things to the people, who are their employers? Wait nuh, ah wha madness dis. Since when can an employee exert totalitarian power over his/her employer?
Something else is going on y’all. Something just ain’t right. SOMETHING JUST AIN’T RIGHT!!!!!!
Stay tuned…
yes i will
what you trying to say mark of the beast
person the device you used to type this tracking your location, they can use it to steal your information…they dont need a chip
Gaston it’s one thing to talk, but it’s quite another thing to carry out your action!!!! Thousands of Antiguans will NOT do what you have mandated, including some police officers, and you will be the laughing stock..
You can’t mandate a people to vaccinate, the most you can do is to cajole them sir..
You similarly ran your mouth about Choksi being sent back to India, and Choksi is still with you. The people wields power, not you!!!
How long? Not long. YOU, % have to come begging to TAKE the vaccine. YOU playing MARCHRO now, but bear in mind this virus has no face. It’s just a matter of time. Wicked people like you are given ample time to meet your fate.
You and Ibo MALAPROP France are TWO WICKED PEOPLE consumed by the DEVIL and are in the bowel of the DEVIL carrying out HIS evil works. There is a special place in the PIT OF HELL awaiting you both. KAMA is a bi…. What goes up must come down and what goes around must come around. YOU seem to be tormented and possessed. Do good before it’s too late. Try to mend more than you break. Give a little more than you take. Obey the GOLDEN RULE and believe me you and Ibo MALAPROP France will have PEACE OF MIND. YOUR SINS shall be washed away and YOU WILL BE CLEANSE of YOU ALL WICKED BEHAVIOR!
Well Kid just ask liar Skerrit to do like Gaston!!! Cant you remember both Dominica and Antigua were embroiled with Choksi as well??
“consumed by the DEVIL and are in the bowel of the DEVIL”
LID ON THE BLOCK. you have said: “consumed by evil and in the bowel of the DEVIL” Your words would have sounded more powerful and perhaps they would understand you better.
We need to cause these people to tremble by the power of our words, to cause them to remain quiet.
You are more sounding possessed by the devil. Is it because you took the vaccine in FEAR that you are speaking like this hypocrite?
@KID ON THE BLOCK
Never knew i would make you cry so much little boy!!!
POOR PITY!!!
Even liar Skerrit must be laughing at you!!
If the vaccine is so effective why are people who took the vaccine so worried about those who haven’t? All of a sudden people are concerned about public health when alcohol, cigarrettes and heart disease causing fast food have been making millions for years with barely any opposition. Is not everybody favorite thing when they go town to get KFC?
90% of Dominicans don’t even know how to manage their own nutrition. A large percentage of women are OBESE and fellas call it thickness and all this garbage, meanwhile their arteries hardening inside them and when they die suddenly people are shocked. But now because the media and governments that want to control people tell you to be terrified about a disease suddenly everybody is concerned about public health to the point that they want to force people to take an injection?
Smh..more vaccine.more covid19 gullible leaders. Skerrit next in line
Skerrit love his position to much to take that risk!
give me proper proof the vaccine causing covid-19
i dont want to hear my friend neighbor cousin barber tell you
give me scientific, statistic reasons why the vaccine causing covid and
look at malta vaccination rate and its covid cases you can see a massive decline yet
we as Caribbean people like to listen to rumors ask for proof you cant, and when you have it can be debunked immediately
what
malta has achieved full vaccination ….. covid cases has dropped
do proper research…smh dominican boi allu need to grow up and think for allu self