Prime Minister Keith Rowley held a Press Conference at 2pm this afternoon (Saturday 12th June 2021) to update the public on the latest decisions made by Government with respect to COVID-19 restrictions in Trinidad and Tobago. Below are the key points discussed today, courtesy of TTT Live Online: - Prime Minister Keith Rowley has unreservedly apologized to the nation, and particularly to senior citizens, for what transpired on Wednesday at the start of a vaccination drive at Health Centres across the country. P.M Rowley noted there was "a problem" in communicating to the wider public when it came to the recent vaccine distribution, but he clarified that T&T is not in a position to carry on mass vaccinations at this time. He explained that what happened was solely at the level of the Government in trying "to do too much with too little" and said that as head of the Government, he took full responsibility for what took place. - The Prime Minister confirmed that 200,000 Sinopharm vaccines should be here on Monday with distribution expected to start on Wednesday. However, this does not mean there will be another attempt at mass vaccination. T&T has also received 13,000 additional vaccines from Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. - Vaccine prioritization will continue but there will be some "tightening up" of the stock. Prime Minister Rowley said until T&T receives more vaccines, we have to "hold in place." He said while it is an inconvenience, no disrespect is meant, and Government will be doing its best to get around to all citizens. In the meantime, people who need to be out for work to keep the economy going will be given a head start. - Prime Minister Rowley confirmed that the final approval for the movement of COVID-19 vaccines from the U.S has not yet come, and conversations are still taking place. - Regarding vaccine distribution in the Caribbean, Prime Minister Rowley noted that some countries like Anguilla, which is a British Overseas Territory, would have received vaccines from the U.K. However, countries like T&T and Jamaica have a vaccine availability problem. - The construction sector will remain closed at this time. The Prime Minister said he was hopeful that there would be further decreases in COVID-19 cases from May to allow for the re-opening of the sector, but this did not happen fast enough. He assured that Minister of Finance, Colm Imbert, will provide some assistance to construction workers for the next two (2) weeks. P.M Rowley said taking "coming-out actions" too soon can reverse the gains we have made. - The Prime Minister stated that some adjustments will be made to allow hardware stores to open on a phased basis. The announcement will be made tonight. - The Prime Minister expressed bewilderment at the increase in the price of cement since, as far as he is aware, there is no shortage of cement in the country. He said this price increase has really upset him. He said: "It is not right, and it is simply taking advantage of a bad situation and I hope we don't see any more of that." - As more COVID-19 vaccines become available, the Ministry of Health will explore all avenues for distribution. - An adjusted vaccination exercise for the elderly will start on Wednesday (16th June 2021), at thirty-six (36) Health Centres. - People in the RHA Primary Health Care Clinics, Hospital Clinics, on the waiting list for a vaccine appointment, in Homes for the Elderly, and Shut-ins will be among those targeted for COVID-19 vaccines. As part of this initiative:
- The re-opening of the borders remains on track for the second week of July. Officials are working with Caribbean Airlines to lay out the framework at this time. - P.M Rowley said there may be a daytime curfew on the Labour Day public holiday. He said, “Looks like it. We are working on that downward curve and we will take every opportunity to press it down, hoping that 1st of July we will be in a different place and a different space.” If you missed the Press Conference, you can watch it below in its entirety. This is a developing story - refresh this page for updates. [Source: TTT Live Online]
We are a small operation. If you've found our articles to be informative, please consider supporting us via PayPal or buying us a coffee. Your contribution is incredibly appreciated and goes a long way. Simply sharing our articles also helps us. Sign up for our free WhatsApp Alerts to be notified as soon as we post breaking news. NEW! Check out our Merchandise Store for high-quality t-shirts, hats and more!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AboutYouthere1 is a website focused on providing useful information, breaking news, entertainment and online shopping in Trinidad and Tobago.
AlertsSupportYouTubeContactPrivacyCategories
All
Archives
March 2024
|
© 2024 Youthere1 Enterprises. All Rights Reserved.