The United Workers Party (UWP) has said that the public interest now requires an increase in the number of fully vaccinated Dominicans to at least 50,000 by the end of 2021.
“We can do that, not with a divisive, politically charged national conversation on mandatory vaccinations, but with a proper non-political education campaign on the scientific truths and facts of Covid 19 vaccines and their usefulness as tools from medical science to fight a deadly virus,” the UWP stated in a press release.
The release said that Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit promised on February 9th, 2021 that 35,000 Dominicans (50% of the population) would be vaccinated by April 2021. At the end of August 2021, four months later, 20,279 Dominicans (29% of the population) were vaccinated.
According to statistics from the Ministry of Health, as of September 15, that umber had increased to 20,671.
The party described this as a “spectacular leadership failure” of the prime minister in achieving his Covid vaccination goal because of a “silly, elitist, politicized communication strategy on the value of the vaccines in fighting COVID-19 and keeping Dominica safe.”
“COVID-19 vaccines have been available in Dominica since February 2021, 7 months ago. The UWP has never opposed vaccinations against COVID-19. Indeed, we have supported the vaccine solution and encouraged Dominicans especially those who have entrusted their health care through the years to the prescriptions of medical science to vaccinate and not procrastinate,” the party noted. “Nonetheless, we respect the rights of fellow human beings who, on religious, medical or other grounds, are opposed to vaccination.”
The UWP points to the rapid increase in COVID-19 infections in Dominica in the last several weeks and says the Cabinet of ministers appears to have resorted to daily changes in the transmission prevention protocols that are “illogical, confusing and discouraging” to a people yearning for proper leadership direction out of a public health and economic crisis.
They cite the following as examples:
- The reopening of bars for “purchase and pick-up only”. A bar is a place of business that sells and serves alcoholic drinks and provides music and other forms of entertainment. If you close a bar for public health purposes and then reopen it for purchase and pick-up only – no music; no alcohol sales; and no drinking at the bar – then it is no longer a bar. It is a shop selling drinks to be consumed anywhere else but at the place of purchase. Such a business is not viable and will not survive. How does that decision of the Cabinet help to deal with the public health and economic challenges of Covid 19?
- The increase of the number of people at church services, weddings and funerals from 10 to 25 in an average space of 3,000 sq. ft. (120 sq. ft per person) while buses are allowed to transport 13 persons in an average space of 50 sq. ft (4 sq. ft. per person). How does that decision of the Cabinet help to deal with the public health and economic challenges of Covid 19?
- The refusal to provide Covid 19 relief and economic stimulus assistance to the people of Dominica notwithstanding 158 million dollars received in grants and soft loans for Covid 19 emergency response and over 4.2 billion dollars from the sale of Dominican citizenship being held unlawfully outside of Dominica under private control. How does that decision of the Cabinet help to deal with the public health and economic challenges of Covid 19?
- The increase of 17 cents per gallon on the price of petrol in the height of the Covid 19 pandemic when the cost of imported fuel has decreased by 5 cents per gallon. How does that decision of the Cabinet help to deal with the public health and economic challenges of Covid 19?
“In this environment of confused Covid 19 policy direction and rapidly increasing infections, the burden of responsibility on our health care and other frontline workers is becoming more and more difficult to bear,” the UWP release continues . “We thank them all for service above and beyond the call of duty and encourage everyone to take greater personal responsibility for adhering to the hygiene, mask wearing and social distancing disciplines that will keep themselves and their families safe.”
The party also goes on to thank the multi-lateral aid institutions that have provided Covid response financing and “the friendly governments who have given financial assistance and made significant contributions of vaccines, medical supplies and equipment.”
Dominicans, please take note! That pandemic called Corvid-19 is not going away soon, and our country is too small to deal against its wrath.
Earlier on I read in a news article, that the last pandemic lasted 3 years, we are in our second year with Covid-19, what if it is going to last longer? Can our small country survive its wrath?
Today I read, in a news article about Alberta, in Canada, and its sorry state with corvid-19 there. It says that 19 000 people are infected with the virus, about 900 are hospitalized with a larger number in the Intensive Care Unit
The bad thing is that they are canceling surgery appointments because of the large number of Corvid-19 patients in the hospital beds. so what do we have here?
People who need even serious medical care are being turned down or delayed because the people refuse to become vaccinated–a call and service that has been intact almost from the beginning. How can this be fair?
Man, You can Pen Despicable BS. What happened to your irresponsible outdated thoughts? Don’t you have anything of intellectual to pen to the Dominican People? Man wake up and smell the OUTDATED Pappyshow FAILED RED LABOUR PARTY GOVERNMENT, under your Immature visionless LABOUR Leadership.
Why don’t you write something obvious and positive of the obvious Failure of this Immature visionless LABOUR GOVERNMENT?
This Government and its Immature visionless Ministers have failed us big time. We all are desperately in need of prolific, experienced, Visionary commited politicians in our Government.
We had enough of FAILED SKERRIT and his Failed incompetent immnature Visionless LABOUR GOVERNMENT. We need Change.
We Welcome Our Well Distinguished, committed experienced, Knowledgeable Leader of the UWP Opposition, Hon. LENNOX LINTON to be the Leader of our Government and our Dominica.
We need visionary leadership in our Government and Country and not any Deceptive RED BOBOL CLINIC’…
@Viewsexpressed, what does that list of negative observations have to do with the message of the news article above?
How is it supporting your UWP party pertaining to their projection to have 50 000 COVID-19 vaccinations required by year-end?
After 4 consecutive losses at the General Election, can’t you see that your foolish ranting, like that one above. is not helping or influencing your group to stand with you all’s leaders?
How can you claim that the Labour Party has failed, when for the last 4 General Elections, the majority of Dominicans have chosen them to run the country, with Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit as their Leader?
Man/woman, if you want your party and your leader in authority over the people of Dominica, you need to write or speak productively, to influence outsiders to join with your group. What you are speaking now, and continue to speak, is nothing more than senseless noises which can never help your cause.
Wee papa, wake up Lenox Linton or views express and smell the coffee! Dominicans are rejecting you left right and center, don’t embarrass yourself in contesting Grandbay. All the nice names you are giving yourself, they are still not listening, therefore, you are Bozo the clown.
Lennox will hear about RUN and RUNNING!
He shall never ever sit in that chair of the Prime Minister.
Viewsexpressed, put that in your pipe and smoke it.
Ya, play STUPID politics with that crap still.
SMDH
How everyone likes to comment when it becomes political. Covid is not blue or red, but it is likely to make you ill if you are unvaccinated. The Delta variant does have the capacity to infect the vaccinated, but with greatly reduced consequences. With this delta variant now running rampant throughout the community, protect yourself and those around you asap.
@delta, yes you are right! If people are vaccinated and they still get infected by the Delta Variant, because of the vaccine their immune system will be stronger to fight against the infection, so to be recovered from the virus.
Most of those people who died from the infection of Corvid-19 had a very weak immune system in the first place, and especially if they were not vaccinated.
That is what the people of Dominica has failed to understand, along with those who are supposed to know better but continue to plague their mind with their thing about side effects
I am fully vaccinated and I know nothing about side effects; I guaranty that the majority of people were just like me.
A vaccine is not a medicine, we do not wait till we are sick to take it. But most medicine we take for the first time has side effects. Why will Dominicans not agree to protect their health and go out and get vaccinated against this deadly virus?
From the onset, the approach taken by the relevant authorities to the Covid pandemic was much too partisan. Poluted politics was unfortunate!y injected into an apolitical health crisis. Remember some diehards of PM were on radio, the media and everywhere praising Mr. Skerrit for his exceptionally brilliant handling of the virus?
Anytime politics is introduced into any issue you are inviting division and confusion.
Politics drive a wedge between Dominicans. The damage has been done and it’s very difficult to undo it now.
The loud noise has to stop. On this issue, we have to put all divisive politics aside. Put our collectives heads together. Then come up with viable solutions to calm the turbulent waters.
I truly believe if we are given the opportunity to work together, there is hardly any problem, no matter how grave, that Dominicans can’t solve.
UWP is a joke, even worse than DFP. All skerrit has to do is keep silent and let these fools bury themselves- similar to the Al Jazeera bombshell.
How hard is it to show support for vaccinations? I personally would not get vaccine, but I won’t, if in a leadership position play petty politics. I mean who are these clowns trying to fool? Who is playing politics and being partisan when this is a written statement you guys are releasing to the public?! It’s full of pettiness. UWP doesn’t have the best interest of Dominicans at heart, even now see them try to use this situation to win cheap political points.
Keep playing Dominicans for fools and then wonder y allu 1 in 7. Cry electoral reform but if elections are called today, with no campaigns, will the govt change? Lol no reform no elections lemme here allu say that again. Just fake leaders that cower in fear and fall at the first hurdle.
UWP is speaking from both sides of their mouths. They claim politics should be left out, but their press release is purely political.
Hypocrites, Hypocrites, Hypocrites. UWP are the ones that have the country in that mess with that vaccine business.
This article is a political article. UWP is now trying to score political points. Where was the UWP from the beginning?
“The party described this as a “spectacular leadership failure” of the prime minister in achieving his Covid vaccination goal because of a “silly, elitist, politicized communication strategy”–News Article
I don’t even know why I open these news articles because their messages are always so annoying
A while ago, when the President suggested mandating the vaccine in Dominica, Lennox went on the air telling Dominicans that he did not agree; his claim was that Dominicans have the right to make their choice for their health and safety. Now, look what they are saying above!
They never tried to encourage the people to take the vaccine. Now they are quick to jump to the conclusion that the Prime Minister failed. Did he fail or did the people accepted you all’s negative ideas against the vaccine, the reason the number he projected did come through?
And what public interest are you talking about, when the people continue to refuse to take the vaccine?
@Lizforsatan
You are the last person to even comment here. I have long branded you as an inveterate liar, an unrepentant evil soul, basking in devilish tendencies. You openly said in one comments few months ago, that honourable Linton is telling people not to vaccinate, when you knew fully well that you were spewing a lie. So lady you have zero credibility. You are just a compulsive LIAR!!
Lizforsatan!!!
% poor pity %, let’s stick to the Covid-19 topic, what electoral reforms has to do with encouraging your ball less taxi and bus drivers to get the jab! How long will Skerrit continue to live in your head rent free? Your were rejected and will be rejected again uncle! News flash the new lady in Grandbay just turned you down, she doesn’t want to tarnish her reputation.
@BB
I have absolutely nothing to do with bus drivers or GrandBay or anything like that. I am not a politician either. Just an ordinaty Dominican. Stop playing smart when you are a …… I am self employed, and hard working..Trying to find who % is, should be the least thing on your corrupted mind..Its only irritable and petulant numskulls like you who do those things. Did what i pierce a hole in your corrupt soul?
Wait for the boring of more holes!
Kudos to Karl Nassief for restarting the conversation. Glad to see that both DFP and UWP have now joined in. Heaven knows why it took so long to come to the conclusion that we are lost until a majority of our population is vaccinated.As I have stated before, this is going to be the new norm so people, get ready.
Drinking bush tea, eating healthy, taking vitamins is all well and good but they’re no match for this deadly virus.
Take the vaccine and live.
You seem totally brainwashed. I suggest you read a bit and stop watching CNN.
They are now copying President Joe Biden setting a target date by year-end for so many vaccinations. Now, they are urging people to get on board and get vaccinated. They are now realizing the magnitude and the severity of the problem if we stay unvaccinated. The UWP FAILED PARTY are coming back home to roost.
{………but with a proper non-political education campaign on the scientific truths and facts of Covid 19 vaccines and their usefulness as tools from medical science to fight a deadly virus,” the UWP stated in a press release.}
At this stage, the scientific truths and facts re: these Covid vaccines are very, very uncertain.
By the way, scientific truths are not necessarily absolute truths. We must always remember that science at its starting point is merely the attempts of imperfect humankind to try to figure out and explain those things we see around us and how these things work.
UWP I am supportive of you but I hate to say that all this talk talk talk is falling on dead ears even amongst your supporters. As of to date I cannot imagine what the heck will get King Liar and his crooks out. Unfortunately is is not talk, its not vaccine, its not an an injection, its not a carlot on his bald head, Not even Jerusalem. Bon Dieu what will get
King Liar out from this reign. Surely its not going to be talk talk because talk has been dead and gone a long long time, and further more his supporting fools are already over full. UWP, Ah don’t know what else to say but some glad day Dominica must be liberated, Talk will be risen and the fools will be emptied. MUST
Getting vaccinated is the right thing to do since covid 19 does not seem to be going anywhere anytime soon . Although the vaccine is not 100 % effective it is clear that since the vaccine came out we have seen the number of deaths, serious life threatening illness and hospitalization decrease by over 80% and more countries are able to open and sports like cricket is back. Plus the vaccine is Free and available. So taking it is just the right thing to do and I don’t see why people have to be forced to take it .
With all the above plus, the amount of money Skerrit has received to help fight covid 19 and his national popularity I just can’t understand why Skerrit cannot get more Dominicans to take the vaccine. This to me shows very weak leadership. Think of the amount of money Skerrit spent on the last election. Why can he not use all of his 18 ministers along with all the other groups he owns, and have them to go on a get vaccinated campaign? Come on PM it’s time to show leadership
Where have you been, Mr. Red Ant? Biting people anywhere and everywhere? The PM has been urging Dominicans day in, day out, week in, week out to get vaccinated, that it is the best weapon yet in the fight against that deadly disease. He has even gone as far as to point out to them what is happening in the outside world with regards to the virus that has been killing millions and millions of people. He even wanted to make vaccination mandatory but had to back track because Dominicans and the opposition parties are against mandatory vaccinations. Still, he urges Dominicans to take the jab to protect themselves and their loved ones but to no avail. You cannot force people to go out there and get vaccinated if it is their choice not to. You can only do so much. I am also urging you to stay abreast of the news before you start pumping crap.
The UWP sickening people, you all have been silent for two years, please remain silent.
we do not want to hear you because you all are a waste of time.
Thank you
Lol, you’re laughing Out Loud at your Despicable, ridiculous Self. Have some Respect for our people, Our Politicians, Musicians, our paid Honourable Ministers and members of Parliament (LABOUR GOVERNMENT and UNITED WORKERS PARTY) who are focused on our Dominica’ and its precious Dedicated people. We need sound, professional Politicians in our Government. No abuse of our poor people called by this failed LABOUR GOVERNMENT to a created RED CLINIC to receive SUPREME PRIME MINISTER’s RED CLINIC Abused Loyalty. This is Deceptive and Insulting. Skerrit is unable to to build up our country and Economy, so he creates this ABUSIVE Red CLINIC to gain fame.
Our States money 💰 must Not be used for loyalty and Votes. This is a despicable thought and behaviour from a sitting PRIME MINISTER.
SHAMEFUL. People stay away from this Deceptive patronising political RED CLINIC behaviour.
Our people are in need of Jobs and Further Studies and NOT SKERRIT’S Deceptiveness.
Please have RESPECT go…
Every Thursday night, you all bombard me with the vaccination talk on “”The Workers Voice”” . On DNO you all are doing the same??
Come June 2022 half of another election cycle will be gone….You all are sleeping and Skerrit is laughing.
I foresee NO MEANINGFUL ELECTORAL REFORM for 2024, as you all fail to see through Skerrit’s lies, trickery deceipt and deception.
If Skerrit was a serious leader he would have brought all opposition voices together and collectively tackle covid..
He is a trickster, and he has you all in his dragnet!!!
Covid will be the reason for no Electoral Reform!!!!!!
The UWP failed party is full of Philadelphia shysters. How can Skerrit pull all opposition voices together when you would rather them go their separate ways? The UWP party is full of bums including you. You don’t know who you support and who you are against. You are just a minute fraction of a percent %. Nobody listens to you, nobody care about you. You are insignificant and an empty vessel. Skerrit does not care a hoot about you. Find something meaningful to do with your life. All your noise fall on deaf ears as far as Skerrit is concerned.
These UWP vaccine stories get more confusing by the day. And DNO is abetting the UWP to confuse the vaccine issue. Contrary to it’s claim the UWP has not been a strong voice on vaccines…claiming to be is downright dishonest.
@Laura
Because you need an ear examination to dig out and extract the stale wax from your ears, or maybe you are fixated to just one propaganda radio station.
I am tired of hearing them talk about vaccination.Tonight again i am sure it will be the same at 8.00pm, on “The Workers Voice”.
Electoral reform is totally forgotten.
Started ok then turned political. This article is a wait of time. Nothing to help the current situation of things. Quit being so polarized.
Bind us not decide us
All of them singing the same song… get vaxxed. UWP, DLP, DFP, AAP… None of them talking about the risks, adverse effects people dying etc. None of them advising healthy lifestyle to boost immune – just get vaxxed! All of them singing the same song! All you not seeing something sinister going on?
Coincidence? Or all of them getting money from the same source and selling us out in return? Our leaders are unanimously sell outs, we need a new system of governance that is truly independent and in the best interests of the people. Democracy has proven to be a system of sell out leaders who all work for outside interests.
You are speaking truth. 👏👏👏👏👏👏
Good statement except for the partisan swipes. Also, please re-examine the focus on how many people can fit in a given space. What matters more is aerosol generation- which is why bars (due to loud talking over loud music) are more dangerous place than supermarkets. It’s also really important that we understand the calculus changes as variants replace one another.
You sound like an educated fool. We ser right through your empty head.
This UWP statement started well but then lost its way. It could also have included a) the immediate need for a health and fitness campaign/reeducation program for the people of Dominica b) increased import duties/sales tax on ‘unhealthy, additive and sugar-rich’ food imports as well as fast foods c) the indefinite suspension of cruise ships d) the reinstatement of quarantine protocols for vaccinated people on arrival e) the implementation of no parking rules on footpaths in Roseau f) the promotion of herbal medicines and supplements to help improve the immune system.
UWP.
My friends you all have spoken quite a lot about that vaccination thing…Is Skerrit controlling you all agenda?????? Is Skerrit serious about containing Covid? NO!!! Did he dismiss Darroux for allegedly sponsorong a big jam at Bellevue Chopin?NO???
Just google “Floyd Green”, he was Jamaicas Agriculture Minister. During lockdown he was seen drinking with some friends. Resignation swiftly followed!!!
I want more talk on ELECTORAL REFORM..
Another general election is soon upon us…
Skerrit is laughing at you all.!!!!
Shateeeeee!!!!
I fully agree with everything you noted except e).
But UWP losing its way in a press released statement is rather pathetic on thier part. Those guys want to be in power ahaha