Banner promoting anonymous crime reporting with a phone and contact number 1 800 TIPS (8477), featuring the Crime Stoppers logo and a QR code for submitting tips.

← Back

Your message to the BLOGMASTER was sent

The blogmaster has sympathy for small open, tourist dependent countries. Developing countries with meagre resources that were struggling to manage poorly performing economies have been struck for SIX with the onset of COVID 19 pandemic. The challenge for governments to implement policies which balance shoring up livelihoods with public health priorities is real.

The blogmaster will not enter the toxic arena of blame gaming. At this juncture it is not a constructive exercise. Unlike New Zealand, Australia and a few other countries which are commodity driven economies and can support an aggressive quarantine protocol, Barbados has been caught out by operating at the margin which conflicts with the proposal from the local medical association of doctors (BAMP). The proverbial between a rock and a hard place.

  • Have we made mistakes managing the pandemic, YES.
  • Did the country become complacent, YES
  • Do we need to find ways to earn hard currency, YES.
  • Do we need to ensure COVID 19 screening is robust to adequately protect residents, YES.
  • Do we need to ensure authorities enforce laws to signal to those who compromise public health safety are penalized, YES.
  • Do we need to make the local economy less reliant on services, YES.
  • Have successive governments been unimaginative and lazy in charting a more sustainable economic path for the country post independence, YES.

The blogmaster could have added several more bullets to the list.

The harsh reality is that the country is ‘broke’ and to close the country again if it can be avoided to “keep out the virus’ as some promote is silly. The COVID 19 virus will be with us for the foreseeable future. Even if 100% of people take the vaccine health experts are unsure how new strains/variants may compromise the process. Even if the vaccine is 100% effective it will take possibly two to three years to immunize the global population to achieve heard immunity level. Then there is the issue of countries operating outside the purview of WHO like China, Russia…

Obviously Barbadians are concerned given the recent surge in COVID 19 positive cases. It is what it is, we have to deal with what is before us and move on. Have a look at the BU Sidebar Covid 19 Tracker and COVID 19 Update Page. Barbados is not waging the COVID 19 battle alone.

The government needs to ensure that our COVID 19 protocol is relevant/fit for purpose.

Residents need to ensure we adhere to the health protocol – wear your mask properly, wash your hands and physical distance please!

We can do this Bajans!

#rally


Discover more from Barbados Underground

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

685 responses to “Fighting the Good Fight Against Covid 19”


  1. The first inmate released from Dodds tell her story

    The first inmate to come out of HMP Dodds since COVID-19 struck the prison three weeks ago has described the situation there as “bare sufferation”.

    The woman, who served five years and 41 days for financial crimes, was due to be released on January 12. However, like the other 842 inmates, she was placed under lockdown from December 31 as Government instituted a “no one in, no one out” policy.

    Last week, Superintendent of Prisons Lieutenant Colonel John Nurse said there were 20 inmates due to be released by the end of this month.

    Yesterday morning, much to the woman’s surprise, she was told by a prison officer to pack her clothes and say goodbye to her fellow inmates.
    Speaking to the DAILY NATION from her St Philip home via telephone, the woman said she had retained Queen’s Counsel Michael Lashley because she believed she was treated inhumanely.
    She charged that prison authorities refused to tell them what was going on and how many inmates had contracted the virus.

    “They did not tell us nothing. We looked outside and we see the men in black standing guard so we thought someone had dropped off a parcel with an illegal substance, or we thought one of the inmates or officers had dropped down dead.
    “But then they tell we they have three admissions and we on lockdown. Then later in the night they wake us up and say, ‘Everybody put on wunna clothes and put something to cover wunna face and come’. When they say so, I knew they had corona in the jail.”
    When they say so, I knew they had corona in the jail.”

    She said they were immediately taken to a room for a COVID-19 test, then put back under lockdown.

    She described the past three weeks as a horrible experience even though the virus did not infect the female prison.

    The woman revealed that they found out how rapidly the virus was spreading among the inmates through prisoners calling their families or going on social media.

    “They got everybody believing the prison running good but up there is ‘sufferation’. I gine tell people who got family in there to go and check fuh wunna family and don’t believe everything [they hear] when they call up there.” (MB)


  2. There seems to be an issue with testing capacity, hence delayed results.


  3. CrusoeJanuary 19, 2021 8:14 PM

    There seems to be an issue with testing capacity, hence delayed results

    A fkkng mess
    Monkeys handling guns
    Boris minutes ago closed borders along with stiff rules and regulations to nationals entering the UK
    Now these lazy thinkers call leaders have to find solutions for their economy
    This is not monkey business nor can Mottley flush this gorilla into the ocean like she flush the shite from the south west sewage plan into the innocent sea waters of Worthing
    This problems takes Brains and not a bunch of headless chickens called leaders


  4. There is no community spread. I believe what the government tells me.


  5. After a while and you cannot identify the source, local spread becomes community spread.

    If these people have gone silent after the big hurrah of bringing Liz Thompson home to head some special communications team, then there must be a reason and most likely it is not good.


  6. Donna
    The guy that died at the hospital may have push things off track


  7. @ angela cox January 19, 2021 8:07 PM

    No wonder our leader wants to ban social media. Gov should take away all means of communication from prisoners.

    Prison is no holiday. Those who are in prison are in a special relationship with the state, where fundamental rights do not apply. It is frightening that prisoners are allowed to communicate with their relatives without censorship. It is alarming that former DLP ministers are inciting prisoners. This must come to an end!


  8. John 2,

    In what way could one death have put things off track?

    No excuses! In the absence of communication the people may panic. It is better to know the worst than to imagine it.


  9. Donna what rubbish you talking you trying to become an alarmist like AC/ Mariposs/ Angela Cox or whatever other name David BU allows her?It was stated yesterday that a full press conference will be held today where persons can ask any questions. I will bet my last dollar none of the loud mouths will ask none.Look at who the ex inmate hired to look at her situation according to Mariposa Mr Lashley or whom some nurses are dealing with Mr Franklyn.In my view some people are playing petty politics with this serious issue and it is unnecessary at this time.I gone.


  10. Lorenzo
    Who let the virus into barbados that has now infected over one thousand people and counting


  11. Barbados authorities rarely make sense, they always do and say things that sounds backward and ignorant….the man had his underlying illnesses and living with them long before many of us were born, but no, let’s dance around the word community spread and hide information.

    “Doc questions authorities’ reluctance to confirm COVID death – by Anesta Henry January 19, 2021
    Family physician Dr Adrian Lorde is questioning why the elderly man who died at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s Accident & Emergency (A&E) Department with COVID-19 has not yet been recorded as the eighth person to have died from the virus on the island since the pandemic started last year.

    Today, in what is becoming a weekly video of his views on how Barbados is managing the pandemic, Dr Lorde said that while the law states that persons dying within 24 hours after being admitted to A&E must receive a postmortem, the reality stands that test results showed that the elderly man had contracted the deadly virus.

    Expressing his sympathies to the deceased, the well known doctor said he cannot understand why health authorities are refusing to say that the man died as a result of COVID-19.

    “What else did he die from? He had the respiratory illness all the time. He is 84, yes. You want to prove it is natural causes so we say we only have seven [COVID-19 related deaths]? I know you want to calm the public and not cause any panic, but you cause more questions than answers,” Dr Lorde said.”


  12. Did not hear the announcement but that does not explain the absence of daily figures. Did I miss those too?

    I do not panic but others do. It is best to keep them from doing so.


  13. Minister of Health and Wellness Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Bostic is making a fresh promise that he will be taking his second COVID-19 jab in public.

    This comes less than a week after it was revealed by Prime Minister Mia Mottley that she, along with Bostic, Attorney General Dale Marshall and five frontline medical personnel received their first vaccination.

    Mottley said then that the group would receive their second dose “in a few weeks’ time”.

    However, since then, residents have been raising concerns regarding why none of the first vaccine recipients had taken the “jab” for the country to see, even after Bostic himself had indicated that he was willing to take it in public.

    Asked by Barbados TODAY on Tuesday to respond to those concerns, Bostic simply said it was not done in public because of an “issue”, which he opted not to disclose.

    However, the health minister, who has already urged Barbadians not to fear taking the COVID-19 vaccination, promised he would be taking his second dose for all to see.

    “There was an issue in relation to taking the first jab in public, but I assure you the second one will be done in public,” Bostic promised.

    “Without going into details, I am going to tell you how things can be at times. Last year March when we were scrambling to get handheld thermometers to do temperature checks, we were able to get some from a ‘friendly government’ but we could not go public at that time because if something is required in another country there are some sensitivities when it comes to supplies leaving.

    “So in order to protect persons, it is not always possible to do things publicly. But I give you the assurance and I can tell you that the vaccines were taken and the second dose, whenever that is due, you can be sure that is going to be public,” explained Bostic.

    He was speaking after receiving a fresh donation of critical equipment from the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) to assist the country in the fight against the coronavirus.

    Officials have already predicted that Barbados could get its first set of vaccine through the COVAX Facility by the end of March or early April.

    During the brief handing over ceremony, at the PAHO office in Dayrell’s Road, St Michael, Dr Yitades Gebre, PAHO Representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, hinted that the vaccine could reach Bridgetown as early as next month.

    Pointing out that there was a meeting with officials of the COVAX Facility on Tuesday morning, he said: “At this point, the COVAX Facility has agreements for six different types of vaccines from five providers.

    “The first transit is expected somewhere late February or early March from the COVAX Facility,” said Gebre.

    It is expected that countries benefiting from the COVAX Facility will get enough vaccine to inoculate at least 20 per cent of their population, but it will be spread out over the year.

    Pointing out that some countries could be in line to get some of the Pfizer doses by next week or early February, Gebre said it was critical that countries display readiness, indemnification and an ability to administer the vaccine.

    Gebre, like World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, expressed concern that some countries were beginning to hoard vaccine and this could hurt poorer countries.

    Prime Minister Mottley has already indicated that Barbados was going beyond the COVAX Facility to get vaccinations that would be enough to result in herd immunity in Barbados.

    The online resource WebMD says herd immunity or community immunity exists, when a large part of the population of an area is immune to a specific disease. If enough people are resistant to the cause of a disease, such as a virus, it has nowhere to go.

    The PM said in addition to possible assistance through the African Medical Supplies platform, her team was currently working feverishly to get access to vaccines from several suppliers.

    Government is expected to embark on a campaign in the coming weeks to raise awareness and encourage people to take the vaccine when it becomes available…..(Quote)


  14. All these koolaid press conferences don’t mean much any more
    People sick and tired of being told the same repetitive song and dance
    People need to hear the naked truth


  15. @Donna

    Your concern is valid. Liz was brought back to ensure there was relevant and fluid communication about covid matters, especially managing the surge. Some of us understand it is a difficult time for Barbados and many countries in the world. It is not an easy time. Some here make it out to be an easy matter to solve and cannot shave without slicing themselves or comb hair properly and have to retreat to a weaveon.


  16. Look who is cut and pasting.

    #smh


  17. The narrative of potential damage to the Barbados brand due to longer than expected quarantine is a red herring – one that insults the intelligence of Barbadians. Perhaps, the only place where the Barbados brand would be damaged in those circumstances is in the imagination of the heads of a few reactive persons that are perhaps all too accustomed to finding new ways of spending good money on bad ideas. But alas, who doesn’t want a free lunch?” said Forte……(Quote)


  18. An opinion like any other commenter on BU.


  19. Crusoe January 19, 2021 3:16 AM #: “Not a one who has pushed a position on the blog about either opening up, or criticising the job the government is doing, has commented or stated a clear objection to the suggestion that the Barbados government has done an excellent job to date, based on the statistics.”

    @ Crusoe

    If you pay close attention to the overall comments on issues expressed by the particular individuals who have been “criticising the job government is doing,” what else do you expect other than “political posturing?”

    A new, highly infectious variant of COVID-19 was detected in the UK sometime during September 2020. It was reported that by November, approximately ¼ of cases in London were as a result of new strain, which reached to almost ⅔ of cases by mid December. The UK government placed parts of England under tier 4 restrictions.
    Media reports also indicated that in December, at least 40 countries, including Scotland and Ireland, had either banned or limited flights from Britain, while they sought more details about the new variant. For example, Poland, Portugal, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and North Macedonia banned flights from Britain indefinitely.
    We’re now learning about the emergence of a similar variant in South Africa that shares some of the same mutations to the one in England, but appears to be unrelated………… and a new variant in Brazil, which has led the UK to ban all arrivals from South America.

    Countries with much more medical and financial resources than Barbados have taken precautionary measures by closing their borders or enforcing travel restrictions. As such, I’m of the opinion the Barbados ‘government’ should have likewise closed the borders, especially to those countries where the new strain of COVID-19 had been identified or enforce travel restrictions, until we are able ascertain more information to familiarise ourselves with the ensuing challenges.

    I’m not suggesting ‘government’ and the health authorities have not done an exceptional job in dealing with the pandemic in its initial stages. But, we must realise we’ve moved on to another stage, since the virus seems to be mutating, hence the emergence of new variants.

    Additionally, people are justified in questioning how ‘government’ communicated COVID-19 related information to the public. Even Mottley acknowledged the methods needed to be improved. She responded by recalling Liz Thompson to head a newly established dedicated COVID-19 communications team, which I believe was not the ideal solution and a complete waste of time.

    As I mentioned in a previous contribution, chairman of Cabinet’s COVID-19 Sub-Committee, Jerome Walcott, could address press conferences with opening preamble, introductory and closing comments; the health minister should explain policy; while the public health and medical experts discuss the practical aspects. There isn’t any need for Mottley to be present to make what are essentially political speeches and repeat what was previously mentioned.

    What do we know about this new variant of coronavirus?

    I’ve read that mathematicians in other countries have been analysing the numbers on the spread of different variants in an attempt to calculate how much it’s spreading. Are similar processes occurring in Barbados and, by extension, the Caribbean?

    Does CARICOM have a COVID-19 committee comprising of regional Epidemiologists, medical and public health experts? Caribbean territories should unite in the fight against this pandemic, rather than confront it individually.


  20. Another cover-up it seems in ministers taking the vaccine
    Now the question to be asked
    Who waa govt protecting
    Why did govt have to protect any one individual or individuals by taking the vaccine
    More questions to be asked


  21. @ Angela Cox

    The more they try to hide information, the more they reveal. What was Bostic talking about? They must come clean.


  22. Bostic said there was an issue that bajans didnt see him take his first jab…….one of the four people holding him down didnt want to be seen on tv.lol


  23. Donna.

    The hospital case is the newest and may be the most important case at this time. There are “questions ” surrounding this case and if gov dont have the answers, (to me) it make no sense having a press conference to keep repeating ” i dont have that information yet”. That can become more fuel for “some” who like the flame of fear..
    To me /in the past when there were good numbers (like 0 for a day) gov use to skip a day/two of not giving a report.
    Enuff time has passed the the boxing day blow up should be coming to an end.

    Pertaining to the numbers:
    i think bostic said the numbers coming out now will be a bit screwed – in that with the back log you may have some positives coming out “today” but the person may have already served the 14 day quaratine.

    he explained that some of the “backlog” had to be resampled for testing again because for various reasons they may not have been able to identify a sample to a person (example – smudging)

    he admitted the because of the backlog there were having problems breaking down the the numbers to answer all the questions from the public.


  24. @John2

    The government has to manage the erosion of credibility by breaking the promise to Barbadians to have scheduled press briefings. If no information is available that can be managed in the dissemination.


  25. donna

    Also
    Bostic said something to the effict that the source of the hospital case can easily found….

    i take that to mean there is already a connection so i dont think the will declare community spread yet/due to this case.


  26. David

    You not the one who keep reminding that this is a fluid situation etc etc?

    Are you still waiting for the new southcooast sewage plant that was PROMISED to you by april 2020?

    #irestmycase.


  27. @John2

    Let us keep this simple. The government announced a Communications Czar who promised communications protocol. If there is a good reason to change Liz should formally face the people and recalibrate expectations.

    #Communications101


  28. “Bostic said there was an issue that bajans didnt see him take his first jab…….one of the four people holding him down didnt want to be seen on tv.lol….”

    Hahahahahahahaha

    Joke #2 for 2021.


  29. David

    i cannot verify it because like donna i may have missed it .

    check LORENZO @ 5:45am

    #stopminingcommentfromme


  30. John2 you want to defend government positions but don’t want probing when you do?


  31. Mia sent Bostic out to test the waters while she went silent on the issue of ministers and herself taking the vaccine
    Stay tuned and watch the lies rolled out
    Bostic responses now poses more questions
    Who is govt trying to protect


  32. @ Angela

    Trust Mia; she will always tell the truth. This is who we are; we are in this together. The president knows if she keeps her head down she will get away with murder.
    The management of the CoVid crisis has been incompetent, and its communication is woefully amateurish. Anyone who knows about communication, public relations, journalism will find this awful nonsense humiliating. We can do better.


  33. Barbados is a failed state. Therefore no surprises here.


  34. ArtaxJanuary 20, 2021 8:43 AM

    Logical and sound reasoning, thank you.


  35. DavidJanuary 20, 2021 10:45 AM

    Like it is tea break, first session, team batting is 56 for 1 and a few spectators in the stands already cussing the batsmen.

    Stupse.


  36. It is regrettable there is an anti tourist narrative being stoked in response to government’s plan to reimburse visitors if SLA for Covid testing is not met.


  37. Now the sewage is being found in govt communication
    No way to run or no way to hide
    Lets see how govt going to get out of this one
    Bostic words are pretty clear that at the heart of the “issue” there is something wrong
    A wrong that should be told


  38. David

    Please enlighten me on to what is the position of government that i am defending .

    And dont shift like ac or ww


  39. @John2

    Scroll up!


  40. David

    U are shifting. just like the above mentioned two


  41. https://www.nationnews.com/2021/01/20/kooyman-closed-third-covid-case/

    so is it true that a nother elderly person walked into QEH and later died from community nonspread Covid?


  42. https://barbadostoday.bb/2021/01/20/visitor-complains-about-being-forced-to-vacation-indoors/

    rush and hurry to open doors to visitors, then can’t produce.


  43. If Prince Donald didn’t come up with the term and lie about fake news to cover his own deceitful ass, don’t know what the likes of Mia would have to attempt to cover up her own ass.

    blob:https://www.facebook.com/5a339400-f155-4864-9128-74608066c943


  44. forget it, the link isn’t working, it’s a live conference on barbadostoday.


  45. So was the latest death at QEH or at a nursing home, can’t get the accurate story….whichever way, heard the deaths are now 9…

    now hearing the person was book(ed)ing in to a nursing home, fell sick, got transported to QEH and died there…

    yardfowls can confirm.


  46. So that colonial parliament has been there since the days of slavery, it’s over 375 years old, one of the oldest and Mia is now realizing that no one bothered to educate the Black population about the difference between…

    a lying MP
    a lying government minister
    a lying whatever other scum they got feeding off the Black population and PRODUCING NOTHING other can collecting a salary…..outside of the few who may actually do some work.

    not that people like me care what the difference is anyway…they’re all PARASITES and thieves…just like the minority crooks they allowed to hijack the legislature…


  47. There is no community spread. Patriots trust government.


  48. It is regrettable there is an anti tourist narrative being stoked in response to government’s plan to reimburse visitors if SLA for Covid testing is not met.

    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    Visitor complains about being forced to vacation indoors

    A British national who is still awaiting his COVID-19 PCR test results after being in Barbados for over a week is calling on authorities to greatly improve the turnaround time for results, or advise travellers against coming to the island.

    The visitor who has asked to be referred to as Chris, is crying out that it is unfair for tourists who have to spend thousands on plane tickets and accommodation, to have to wait days for results when they were promised they would receive them within 24 to 48 hours.

    “This is a grim reality that tourists and business travellers alike are facing here in Barbados, people paying huge amounts to be stuck in their accommodation for the duration of their trips, and sometimes longer, and at a significant expense.

    “Either testing on the island is greatly improved or the government should advise against travellers coming here altogether as the way things are being handled currently is immoral,” he said.

    Chris, who told Barbados TODAY he had fallen in love with the island and has been coming since he was a teenager, accused tourism authorities of false advertising the turnaround time for test results as 48 hours when there are “huge” delays.

    He said while his family arrived on the island on Tuesday, January 12, their second PCR test was booked for Thursday, January 14, but the entity responsible for carrying out the testing “did not bother to turn up” with no warning.

    He explained that they then had to turn to another facility to come to them on Friday, January 15. They are still awaiting the test results almost 96 hours later.

    The visitor said he has called and emailed the testing facility but has received no response.

    He also indicated that he has been calling the Bes-Dos-Santos Laboratory to inquire whether his family’s results were at that location, but he was told to call back the entity responsible for carrying out the test.

    “We paid a great deal for the test under the premise that turnaround times are approximately 24 to 48 hours. It has now been close to 100 hours since I have been tested which is misleading and false advertising.

    “We are desperate to leave our accommodation, as we are currently paying to have a security guard at our villa whilst in quarantine amounting to US$135 per day, a government requirement. We are scheduled to leave the island on Saturday, January 23. At this point, we have now spent over half the trip in quarantine,” he said.

    “To make matters more difficult, to return to the UK, we have been told that we need to provide an additional negative COVID-19 PCR test to be obtained no more than 72 hours prior to arrival back in the UK as per new COVID regulations. Failure to provide a negative COVID-19 PCR test back in the UK results in a minimum £500 fine.

    “Given these huge delays in the turnaround of test results on the island, I do not see how this is even remotely possible and it is likely, that we, and many other travellers, will be fined a great deal when returning home,” he added.

    He said he was aware that authorities have issued an advisory informing travellers about the backlog of COVID-19 PCR tests at testing facilities which may impact how soon they receive their results.

    The advisory also indicated that an update would be posted when the standard 24-48 hours turnaround time has been resumed and asked travellers to plan accordingly.

    “I feel like no one is giving the correct information out. It is very misleading because people aren’t setting realistic expectations for travellers.

    “My partner even sent an email to the Prime Minister [Mia Amor Mottley] and she responded very quickly, asking the Minister of Health [Lt Col Jeffrey Bostic] to help in some way. It has now been a week since I have arrived.

    “I understand this is now a problem for a number of people who have arrived recently on the island. If I was just here for one week, I would have spent my entire time in quarantine,” Chris said.

    https://barbadostoday.bb/2021/01/20/visitor-complains-about-being-forced-to-vacation-indoors/

    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    AND MANY OF YOU BLASTED FOOLS CONTINUE TO DEFEND THE 2 x 3 ISLAND AND ITS FAILED LEADERS


  49. @ WURA-War-on-U January 20, 2021 11:51 AM

    That is retribution for slavery!


  50. We Will Wrestled this to the ground

    Quote Minister Bostic

The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.

Trending

Discover more from Barbados Underground

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading