Trinidad and Tobago continues to be aggressive in its fight against COVID-19. The first positive case was confirmed on March 12th 2020 and there are now 115 confirmed cases from 1,424 samples tested by the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA). There have been eight deaths, while 37 people have been discharged from Covid-19-designated hospitals. Other hospitals and health facilities are being used to provide medical assistance to those suspected of or infected with the virus.
Government implemented a Stay at Home Order at midnight on March 28th, 2020 but it has since been extended to April 30th and will be reviewed in due course. Only essential workers are allowed to go to their respective work places, while non-essential workers are encouraged to fulfilling their duties from their respective homes.
There have been several changes to business operating hours with many stores, banks and other places opening for limited hours and on reduced days and schools remain closed. The country’s cruise season was suspended and all our borders were later closed.
Protocols issued by the World Health Organization, such as the wearing of face masks, social distancing and other measures, have been encouraged and many citizens are heeding those protocols.
The Ministry of Health has been holding daily virtual news conferences to update the population on the latest developments on the pandemic both on a global and national level.
Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley forms Committee for COVID-19 Recovery
A 22-member Committee of business and other professionals was convened last week by Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley, to assist the country to formulate a plan of action for recovery from the effects of COVID-19.
The Committee’s Secretary is Public Administration Minister, Allyson West and also includes two former Finance Ministers, Wendell Motley and Winston Dookeran.
Dr. Rowley said the work of the Committee was not going to be easy as their recommendations will be critical in charting the way forward for the country’s economic successes.
He said: “the world is facing an unprecedented human crisis that is unleashing dramatic economic and social disruptions.”
According to the Prime Minister: “The world that we have become accustomed to and the life we know has changed and will possibly never return.”
He said that their recommendations will be critical in charting the way forward for the country’s economic successes. Dr. Rowley also said: “An important first step in developing the Recovery Road Map must be to clearly identify and analyse the constraints that will continue to exist for some time.”
He added that the Road Map “must delineate objectives and targets to be achieved and actions to be taken over the immediate short-term and over the medium to long term.”
The Honourable Prime Minister told the first meeting of the Committee its immediate objectives would be focussed on initiatives aimed at keeping the country afloat, pursuing quick wins for jump-starting economic activity in key sectors and stemming any further widening of economic disparity through employment preservation and income and social support to vulnerable groups.
He said: “The disruptions we are experiencing also brings the opportunity to create new and more resilient economies and societies that potentially have a better chance at achieving sustainable growth and development.”
The Prime Minister said a rough draft of the agenda should be ready by the end of April, adding that it was not expected that the country would be out of the danger zone by June this year.
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