Basseterre, St. Kitts, September 7, 2022 (PLP) — Prime Minister Dr. Terrence Drew continues to spread his false campaign of lies and misinformation. In a blatant disregard for truth and the facts, Dr. Drew recently said that COVID-19 protocols were made by the former administration for political reasons.
Dr. Drew knows fully well that the National COVID-19 Taskforce was a non-political broad-based body. They in turn advised the government on protocols necessary to preserve the lives and livelihoods of the people. Every subsequent change to these protocols was always on the bases of reliable, respected and professional advice given by the members on the National COVID-19 Task Force. All recommendations were preceded by written and endorsed submissions by them. Dr. Drew should also be reminded that Task Force meetings were all properly documented by Minutes and, in most cases, by recordings of the said meetings. The government then followed the scientific and professional advice which resulted in the renowned and internationally recognized excellent outcomes for the people of St. Kitts and Nevis. These are the very low death rates, the low rates of community spread and the excellent
response of our healthcare system. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and other regional and international independent entities, commended the excellent leadership of our former Prime Minister the Honourable Dr. Timothy Harris and his government during the worst pandemic in known history.
While in opposition Dr. Drew aided by Dr. Denzil Douglas, Dr. Geoffrey Hanley and other supporters of his St. Kitts Nevis Labour Party, maligned and abused members of the National COVID-19 Task Force and the Ministry of Health. They all followed an obstructionist path to the National COVID-19 Task Force which was not in the best interest of the health and lives of the people of St. Kitts and Nevis.
Dr. Drew’s negative statement about the important life and death decisions made to the overall benefit of our people is a slap in the face of the professional team that made such decisions on COVID-19 based on scientific evidence which all were in the best interest of the country.
The Taskforce never recommended the removal of the limited protocols that were in place. In fact, in their last presentation to the Dr. Harris-led Cabinet, they recommended that the limited protocols remain intact in the public interest, until further notice. These limited protocols that were in place are still present in place in other countries. Contrary to Dr. Drew’s lies and propaganda, no other political party in the region has made politics the basis for any of the past or existing protocols.
While on one hand, Dr. Drew claims to have removed all COVID-19 protocols, the Minister of Education recently announced a number of COVID-19 protocols were still applicable to the education sector, including sanitization on entry, staying at home when experiencing flu-like symptoms, etc.
When will Dr. Drew learn that the politics of lies and deception will not help in the delivery of a good governance agenda? This will only create confusion in the minds of the people who will lose confidence in the government’s ability to execute policies for their best interest.
The people of St. Kitts and Nevis deserve and must demand better.