Regional Briefs

T&T PM says he is duty-bound to uphold the law

PORT-OF-SPAIN (CMC):

Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley on Saturday said he is duty-bound to caution citizens that unrestrained conduct in public and private settings can and will increase the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the country.

A war of words has erupted in the twin-island republic over a statement Rowley made earlier last week that police would now be able to enter private homes and end activities that contravene the existing health protocols as the country deals with a COVID-19 upsurge.

Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi and Police Commissioner Gary Griffith have defended Rowley’s comments in the face of a statement issued by the Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago (LATT) insisting that there are no regulations governing conduct on private property, especially as it relates to the number of people, masks and social distancing.

“As prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago, I am duty-bound to caution citizens that unrestrained conduct in public and private settings can and will push the rise of COVID-19 cases,” Rowley, who recovered from COVID-19 last week, said yesterday.

“I am also duty-bound to point out that the laws of our country, including the Public Health Ordinance, the Public Health Regulations, the Police Service Act and other laws can, in certain specific circumstances, cover the enforcement and management of laws in private premises via public health officers with or without aid of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service.”

The LATT questioned the reach and scope of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service and the legislation, warning that using the Ordinance that way would be a breach of constitutional rights.

OECS condemns US travel advisory

CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC):

The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) has taken issue with a decision by the United States to issue a new travel warning for the subregion even as the countries seek to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

The US State Department announced that it would be updating its travel advisory list in alliance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“The COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose unprecedented risks to travellers. In light of those risks, the Department of State strongly recommends US citizens reconsider all travel abroad,” the State Department said in its update.

The OECS said that Washington has raised its travel advisory from Level 3 to Level 4 for the subregion noting that the pandemic has resulted in 146 million cases and three million deaths worldwide.

“While we have been able to manage the pandemic in the OECS with case fatality rates and cases per population rates lower than the global average, we continue to be disproportionately affected by the economic fallout of COVID, due to our highly tourism-dependent economies,” the OECS Commission said in a statement.

The OECS said that this is further compounded by the inequitable distribution of vaccines globally.

“While the United States boasts that 60 per cent of the population have received at least one dose of the vaccine, in the Eastern Caribbean we have only been able to cover about 22 per cent of the eligible population with the first dose,” the commission said. “The greatest limiting factor being the availability of vaccines. This is ironic given the size of our populations, and the relatively small numbers needed to reach population immunity. Without this coverage, it is difficult to be able to facilitate entry and exit requirements that facilitate the ability of the US government to assist in an emergency, including COVID-19 related restrictions on entry by US and other foreign nationals.”

Cuba reiterates interest to strengthen cooperation with EU countries

HAVANA (CMC):

Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz has reiterated his country’s interest in strengthening cooperation with the countries of the European Union in areas such as trade, energy, transport, tourism, iron and steel industry, mining, health, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology.

During a recent speech at the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council Meeting, the Cuban premier ratified Cuba’s willingness to support the member states of the union with the vaccines against COVID-19 developed in the country, which could lead to a strategic line of cooperation.

He stressed that the vaccine candidates created by scientists of the Finlay Vaccine Institute and the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology have so far proved to be effective against the new strains detected worldwide.

He also highlighted Cuba’s capacity to produce large quantities of vaccines, which is why it plans to become one of the first countries to immunise its entire population.

At the meeting, where Cuba participates as an observer state, Marrero Cruz stressed the importance given in the Caribbean nation to economic, trade, financial and cooperation relations with the member states of the regional bloc, and confirmed the willingness to collaborate in the implementation of the strategic guidelines for the development of Eurasian economic integration until 2025.

Other fields of interest for Havana are the increase of exports of goods and services to the EAU market, and the participation of businessmen from the Eurasian region in foreign investment projects in Cuba, which will have the full support of the authorities, the PM emphasised.

Scientists report calm at La Soufrière volcano

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent (CMC):

Seismic activity at La Soufrière volcano remains low and on Friday, only a few long-period, hybrid and volcano-tectonic earthquakes were recorded and there was no further tremor.

The Seismic Research Centre (SRC) of The University of the West Indies, which is monitoring the volcano that erupted explosively on April 9, said in its latest bulletin that seismic activity has remained low since the tremor associated with the explosion and ash venting on April 22.

It said that the seismic stations recorded signals from lahars for a 40-minute period on Friday and that these lahars were much smaller than those on April 28 and 29.

“Lahars are fast-moving, dense mixture of rocks, ash and vegetation and water originating from a volcano. The volcano continues to be in a state of unrest and the alert level is still red. Explosions with accompanying ashfall, of similar or larger magnitude to those that have already occurred in this eruption, can take place with little or no warning,” the SRC warned.

Meanwhile, the National Emergency Management Organization is advising the public to be aware of flooding and landslides in several areas on mainland St Vincent as a result of heavy rainfall in recent days.

“The public is asked to exercise caution, especially persons living near rivers and streams and in areas prone to landslides, as floodwaters are dangerous and can result in loss of life and property.

“To be safe: avoid sight-seeing and stay off the roads as far as possible,” it added.