Attached are charts for week ending 7th January 2022. So far, the daily cases have not topped 600 and have indeed been dropping v. slowly for the past 4 days. The charts suggest that Omicron has been here for nearly a month but the rate of increasing daily cases has dropped. Deaths and isolations have increased, but only marginally. Vaccinations
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Although not out of the woods Barbadians were told based on the week over week numbers “we are in a better place”, however, we need to keep our guard up. We can do this people!
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We are already half way through what will result in many cases, both locally and around the world as one, if not the most difficult years in living memory. Frankly I have been disappointed that we have not witnessed more creative thinking and action among the wealth of tourism professionals, who reside and derive their main income from the sector
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Prime Minister Mia Mottley gave the all-clear recently Barbados will be reopening for business on the 25 July 2020 with the proviso public health protocols must be adhered to by individuals and businesses. At the time of the announcement she confirmed to date there have been 96 confirmed cases, 83 total recoveries and seven deaths from Covid-19. Locals woke up
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As more and more tourism businesses indicate they are re-opening, hopefully over the next few weeks, our policymakers and planners will instigate a single source reference website or other social media platform to combat the mass confusion and speculation as to when our industry is ready and able to host locals and overseas visitors. Meanwhile, potential arrivals are left to
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In December 1995 a doctor at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital gave me a dire prognosis for my mother, he said: take her home and make her comfortable for the last, since there is nothing more we could do. I could therefore empathise with Elizabeth Thompson, upon receiving bad news about her mother. At such a time any loving daughter would
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It would appear that our citizens and residents will first have the option of travelling within the Caribbean, as and when Coronavirus restrictions are lifted. As we are now in the traditional prolonged softer summer season, it also appears to be more logical that our tourism planners and policymakers will focus, at least part of their efforts on promoting this
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…The discussion must turn to how can we run a country on 25% less revenue than planned over the next 2 years. It does not have to come to layoffs either. It can come from improved tax collection, greater efficiency etc. It does not have to be a case of just “sending home people”… BU Commenter: John A What has
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One of the greatest challenges for the entire tourism industry post Coronavirus, in my humble opinion, will be the subject of credibility in the eyes of the consumer or traveller. Almost every day, often conflicting announcements, regarding the status of when ‘we’ are able to fly and from where, seem to hit the headlines. Virgin Atlantic has stated that Barbados
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Submitted by Ras Jahaziel I Iktor Tafari HE WAS BORN WITH A VAMPIRE ON HIS BACK, so he believes that God put it there. Moreover, he was schooled and churched to see his landless-ness as normal.That is why today’s X-Slaves do not recognize the fundamental injustice that is inherent in their landless-ness. What lesson might be learned from the Covid-19
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It is outrageous the government and the management at QEH are more concerned with hiding their embarrassment than with making sure that the hospital is safe. From a government that promised transparency, it seems that they are stuck in the same old culture of secrecy which is the ideal environment for corruption, leads to the deterioration in services and demoralises
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During the COVID-19 press briefings, the Government refused to divulge any information on where positive cases had contracted the virus. We were not allowed to know the village, district or parish. We were not allowed to know whether they visited a business, or the type of business. The reason for this secrecy, was to avoid any type of stigma and
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Submitted by the Mahogany Coconut Group The fears of many progressives that Caribbean leaders will not embrace a new economic path post COVID -19, are slowly surfacing. While we support the current efforts in the fight against COVID-19, we must admit that as the region returns to state of normalcy or what is being branded the “new norm”, there
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In her recent address to the nation Prime Minister Mia Mottley indicated a real discussion will take place next week between the government and social partnership as it pertains to how the country will have to support workers displaced in a post COVID period. The idea of pandemic bonds has been floated. Commonsense Barbadians understand the pandemic will force a
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Link suggested by Dr. GP (reproduced from Bajanthings.com Life after COVID19. Hope for a new world order. With the spread of the COVID-19 virus showing no sign of leaving the world any time soon it is probably premature to talk or think of life after it is gone. It appears that the necessary and common sense restrictions on gathering has
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The PSV sector continues to be of interest in the COVID 19 period. For four decades due to neglect by the authorities the sector has been allowed to fuel a negative sub culture mainly linked to greed and corruption. The reasons have been detailed in blogs and other commentary over the years, there is no need to repeat the arguments
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Our main problem is not finance, it is the availability of markets for what we produce. It is the closing of these markets that caused the decline in jobs,foreign exchange and income. Just in case we are losing focus. Is stimulus money a medium or long-term solution? It is a short term inadequate remedy. It buys time for the economic
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Submitted by Nathan ‘Jolly’ Green We have all heard of the saying “history always repeats itself.” Well the COVID 19 virus is a pandemic, just like the Spanish Flu of 1918 was a pandemic. Like today, in Britain, temporary hospitals were equipped; every bed in the picture has someone in it. Many in the country wore face masks, and social
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