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New gear now... PM declares power brokers won't derail COVID response

Published:Wednesday | September 1, 2021 | 10:36 PM
Holness: After this episode, there will have to be a greater balance and understanding that sectoral interests can’t push the government into decisions that affect the entire society,

Damion Mitchell/Integration Editor

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has warned that the government will now be taking a different approach to the management of COVID-19 in Jamaica.

Addressing a press briefing at Jamaica House on Wednesday, the Prime Minister did not detail the new approach.

But he made it clear that the government will not be relenting to “powerful” advocates.

“After this episode, there will have to be a greater balance and understanding that sectoral interests can't push the government into decisions that affect the entire society,” Holness warned.

He said the pattern of opening and closing the economy is not sustainable.

WATCH: We have the situation under control, says Holness

The Prime Minister also conceded that mistakes have been made in the response to the pandemic, but again provided no detail.

“It is not a situation where things have not happened that should not have happened,” Holness said.

His press briefing came a day after Jamaica recorded its highest tally of 31 COVID deaths.

The fatalities occurred over the period August 23 to 30.

For the month of August alone, there have been 15,245 COVID cases, that's almost five-fold the 3,081 cases in July.

At the same time, there were 351 deaths last month. This is 23 per of the 1,549 fatalities since COVID-19 was confirmed in Jamaica in March 2020.

On Wednesday, Holness declared that the no-movement period from Saturday at 6 pm to Wednesday at 5 am would continue for another two weeks.

The curfew for the other days runs from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m.

“It is not a time for us to relax,” the Prime Minister insisted, “We have to drive through with these measures, we have to bring the numbers down. When we bring it down, I am certain that we will end this argument about opening up and then having to close down.”

According to the prime minister, while there were powerful interests demanding the opening of the economy when the consequences come, they disappear.

Schools are to reopen with online classes on Monday.

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