Posted to Afra Raymond’s website Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Rowley, appointed a 22-member COVID-19 ‘Road to Recovery’ committee on 16 April 2020 to handle and advise on the path of the post-pandemic economic and social recovery. Afra Raymond discusses what he believes should be the priorities of this committee. Programme Length: 00:10:15…
Posted to Afra Raymond’s website
Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Rowley, appointed a 22-member COVID-19 ‘Road to Recovery’ committee on 16 April 2020 to handle and advise on the path of the post-pandemic economic and social recovery. Afra Raymond discusses what he believes should be the priorities of this committee.
Programme Length: 00:10:15
Programme Date: 18 April 2020
One thing this blogmaster has picked up along the way is that our systems of government practised in this part f the world are challenged to be transparency in the way we dream.
I differ. Our system of government is right for our culture. We need to insist on appropriate behaviour from those we select for office. A residue from our slave and colonial history is an inherent fear of those we elect to office. Some leaders see this chink in our armour and exploit it. We, the people, need to remind them occasionally ,that they feet are made of clay and they can be removed in a twinkling of the eye.
Aware the PM announced the formation of a similar body in Barbados. Any further news on its formation and how it will go about its task?
The big question is why did PM Mottley drop the names of former MOFs and run.
@David
Are you questioning the motives of the PM? Why are you inviting censure from the aspiring politician whose name I can’t recall who sprung to the defense of the PM with those lengthy tomes.
The PM is waiting for her medical team to give her clearance, then she make a splash with the announcement of the other names.
@Sargeant
The drips and drab announcement has the whiff of being orchestrated. If yes one must ask why.
Oh dear. In competence or trickery? Why did the president come off her sick bed, announced two names, then went back? I am under the impression her medical procedure was far more serious than we are told. She must come clean with the nation.
The story goes there are a few unofficial groups formed which connect via video. Waiting too long can have unintended consequences. Businesses have to make plans with or without a formal group.
@ NorthernObserver
The GoB’s efforts at the moment are in the right areas. The economy will recover.Any committee meeting to plan economic recovery will simply be a talk shop. We have enough of that on the blogs. The world economic system is affected by the pandemic. Our recovery depends on the recovery of the World Economy. We are in the Era of Globalization. That is the new reality. This Committee is just another catching at straw reaction.
Message with a warning
Minister of Health and Wellness Lt Colonel Jeffrey Bostic, has warned Barbadians against becoming complacent despite a four-day lull in confirmed cases of the deadly coronavirus.
He revealed that a continued shortage of testing swabs, as well as a critical one week period in which persons entering the country were not being placed on mandatory quarantine, point to the possible existence of community spread, which is yet to be detected.
While touring a new Field Medical Facility (FMF) provided by the BDF to assist the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Bostic told reporters that no new cases had been detected from 35 tests conducted on Saturday. In fact, he revealed that two more recovered patients were set to be released from quarantine.
“This is the fourth straight day, but I want to urge the public that although this is indeed an encouraging sign, we are not yet out of the woods. We cannot take our guard down. We must continue with what we are doing. We are encouraged, but we know very well that there is no certainty as to whether or not we have cases out there in the community,” Bostic said
Quite an honest statement. That is what the SIR model is designed to reveal.
@VC
all true….however, also a good opportunity to toss around some ideas. The views are so divergent on recovery. Not that recovery will not occur, rather timing and pattern. And for any one location/market can that be altered? Covid itself has offered a good example, of how faced with similar challenges the response and timing of different places. It makes a difference. Hence, does one sit back and wait for the recovery to wind its way through the system, or do you try to advance your relative position. Are there opportunities today which didn’t exist a few months ago?
@ Hal April 19, 2020 4:39 PM
I noticed that the WHO director general is lavishing praise on Mia. He has praised her for leading Caricom’s response to the Wuhan ( note I am calling it by its correct name) virus. The flattery was almost sickening. He seems to be trying to get allies.
@ Robert
Of course he is seeking votes. What is not clear is what kind of leadership the president has provided. She has been sick for most, or at least a long part of the time.
But this is the kind of flattery that makes people in Barbados think we are world class, and can punch above our weight.
@Robert, on a more serious note, I am surprised they have not yet called on you for advice. Not even the media.
The prime minster has been clear in her first public address post operation she described as ‘gynaecological issues” that she was given 6 week “sick leave” to recuperate by the doctors which she has ignored. WTF us your problem?
@ Hal April 20, 2020 8:39 AM
Unlike you I am not surprised. I have people on both sides pissed off with me. The reason is very simple, I do not toe the line and I do not take S–t ,especially from people who want me to cut corners. I can write articles and which when printed draw no response. either I am writing facts or the readers haven’t got the technical competence to figure out that I am writing crap. I am quite cool with the way things are. The only that may perturb me is the possibility of the house being blown away in a hurricane and even that i do not worry overly about. Hell, i may not survive the encounter and won’t be around to worry.
Correction: the only thing that may…
@ David April 20, 2020 8:45 AM
Like Hal, the public is entitled to know what is what.
@Dr. Lucas
The public is largely aware domestic agriculture production has been a dud. We may have a disrupting force some of us have been waiting. How can we convert/capitalize.
I am here listening to the Minister of Health at a press conference. The first question directed to him was a very good one. The searching questions resulted in some obfuscation on the part of the minister. It was revealed that a front -line worker was infected. When questioned what happened in the particular case ( for example: if it was due to lack of proper equipment or it was caused by the lack of proper standard sanitary operating procedure on behalf of the front-line worker worker and finally ,if the infected person was at fault).It was obvious that the question caused the minister discomfort. It was made known that due to confidentiality , no more could be said on the topic. It was stated that more tracking had to be done because (and my words were used) there might persons who had encountered an infected person and is unknown person Z. It therefore seems that there is some concern As I said that slot between mandatory testing and voluntary isolation is the problem
@ David April 20, 2020 10:30 AM
I have wished that there would be change in the agriculture and food industry locally for more than forty-years. It has not happened and the out look of it happening is remote once some time elapses and the memory of the Wuhan pandemic fades into history.”
This extract is part of post on the Blog dealing food.
@ robert lucas April 20, 2020 5:57 PM
“ It has not happened and the out look of it happening is remote once some time elapses and the memory of the Wuhan pandemic fades into history.”
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
But lost only in the memories of those who will disappear, permanently, from the economic dislocation about to visit Barbados and those who have put all their once fertile economic eggs in one forex earning basket.
Barbados is now faced with two stark choices between the economic horses of the Hobson’s breed.
Either ‘willingly’ cut all ‘high’ salaries or wages, and in some cases pensions, to suit the country’s productivity and income earning capacity or be forced to do it by way of a massive currency devaluation to reflect Barbados’s position in the real state of play in the world economies.
The country’s current state welfare system will come under severe stress with many falling through the fast contracting safety net.
Barbadians just cannot continue to expect the high standard of living based on imported conspicuous consumption financed by ‘borrowed’ foreign money.
Why should a people expect to continue to live high off the hog when the last fat foreign income-earning pig called ‘tourism’ in the economic sty has bolted?
As it is going to soon come to pass, people in Barbados earning over $10,000 p/m will be forced to cut their conspicuous consumption cloth to suit the country’s forex-earning cloth.
In this time of crisis let us see the exemplary acts of sacrifice by those entrusted with the national lamp to lead the people out of this tunnel of economic darkness.
“You don’t lead people by what you say to them; you lead them by what they see you do. True leaders are self-leaders.”― Israelmore Ayivor
“Practice what you preach and let people learn from you”― Sunday Adelaja
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