Transcript of statements
By Acting Prime Minister, The Hon. Santia Bradshaw, MP
And Health Minister, Lt. Col. The Hon. Jeffrey Bostic, MP
At Ilaro Court
On April 20, 2020
Santia Bradshaw [00:00:00] Fellow Barbadians, residents and well-wishers, a pleasant good afternoon to all.
Santia Bradshaw [00:00:05] First, let me convey on behalf of the Honourable Prime Minister, the Government and people of Barbados, sincere condolences to the family of the late Joe Edghill, former member of Parliament and former Deputy Speaker for the Constituency of Christ Church West Central. I had the good fortune a few moments ago of officiating at a ceremony in Gall Hill in recognition and honour of the service of Mr. Joe Edghill, and I can attest to the high esteem in which he was held by the people of that constituency. I’m sure that at the earliest opportunity, a thorough tribute will be paid to Mr. Edghill by the Parliament of Barbados. To his wife, Angela, and other family and friends, we express sympathy and God’s richest blessing on this sad occasion.
Santia Bradshaw [00:00:55] Fellow Barbadians. Since this country has started preparations for COVID-19, the Government has repeatedly stressed that we are dealing with an evolving situation that would require constant review of our response plan as the scientific evidence and behavioural responses of the population emerges.
Santia Bradshaw [00:01:17] On occasions or reviews have resulted in the tightening of the regime of restrictions, while on others, we have been able to relax the rules without compromising the public health guidance and advice that has always underpinned our decision-making. Over the weekend and certainly today, the Cabinet of Barbados, the Emergency Organizing Committee, as well as the members of the Parliamentary group, have been examining the effectiveness and continued necessity of a number of the measures that we have outlined over the course of the past few weeks, and we have agreed today to the following changes.
Santia Bradshaw [00:01:57] Effective immediately, gas station operators will can discontinue the use of the alphabet system of surnames when it comes to the purchase of fuels such as gasoline, diesel and kerosene, liquefied petroleum gas, as well as cellular top-ups.
Santia Bradshaw [00:02:15] Grocery shopping at supermarkets and mini-marts may now start at 7:00 a.m. and run until 4:00 p.m. while maintaining the previously mentioned break at 11:00 a.m.. However, we’ve advised supermarket operators that they can continue to process the shoppers who are at the lanes in the queues, at the cutoff times. In light of the public holidays on April 28th, Heroe’s Day and May 1st, May Day, individuals who would have been permitted to shop on those days using the alphabet system, will now be permitted to shop during the times allocated to essential workers next week only. That is on Sunday, April 26, between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. and on Thursday, April 30th, between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. These time slots have been selected based on the feedback from the operators of the various supermarkets who note that the shopping traffic for these particular categories has been quite manageable at those times.
Santia Bradshaw [00:03:19] Given the steps now being taken to utilize online teaching, while the country fights COVID-19, as well as the growing number of workers who are operating from their homes, computer stores will be permitted to open to facilitate online shopping for computer equipment and peripherals such as ink, paper, the cables and the other items that are connected to the use of devices. Customers will only be allowed to access their purchases via curbside pick-up using the alphabet system and operators of computer stores will also be facilitated to do delivery. There will be absolutely no in-store shopping.
Santia Bradshaw [00:04:01] All Barbadians are reminded that a strict curfew remains in place between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. except for essential services movement during the hours, 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. is allowed only for permitted activities such as essential shopping or banking during the allocated periods based on the alphabet system to purchase petroleum products or to seek medical or dental attention. The maintenance of the regime of restricted activities is critical if we are to continue to record favorable results in our efforts to halt the spread of COVID-19.
Santia Bradshaw [00:04:40] On the matter of education and more specifically, the resumption of formal teaching or learning in the primary and secondary schools, Barbadians are asked to note that while there have been extensive discussions with the various stakeholders all last week, the situation is still relatively fluid to make it unwise to stipulate a precise start date for the new term. Already, though, some of our teachers, in consultation with their principals and other stakeholders, have begun using the available online resources and technology to better familiarize themselves and their students with the technology and environment. And they will be using this obviously to a greater extent in the future.
Santia Bradshaw [00:05:24] Our aim is to have this emergency response mechanism in terms of our technology rolled out in all schools once the circumstances permit. During this familiarization period, teachers, rather than introducing new concepts, will use the opportunity to reinforce those subjects taught in terms 1 and 2 respectively. This will allow the approximately 80 percent of teachers who have already been trained by the Ministry of Education and through its ITC coordinators to use the new technology and to be able to test this learning while allowing the Ministry to facilitate the training of the remainder of our teachers in the system.
Santia Bradshaw [00:06:04] It will also give us the opportunity to be able to work with the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation, as well as their various radio stations, to provide a number of messages to the public and in particular to our parents to allow them to feel comfortable allowing their students to be able to use this new platform.
Santia Bradshaw [00:06:22] In the Ministry of Education, technological and vocational training like the other stakeholders, we recognize that not every child or household has access to the necessary equipment, Internet connectivity or even electricity. But we are working with the various service providers and our overseas suppliers to address this in the shortest possible time. We recognize, too, that a number of individuals and entities have actually already offered to assist with the donation of equipment to ensure as much as is possible a leveling of the playing field. And we are moving with haste to set up the mechanisms to process these donations.
Santia Bradshaw [00:07:03] On behalf of the Ministry and of the Government of Barbados, I want to extend sincere thanks to these persons and also the entities that have been assisting us in this process so far. We know that it has not been an easy task in terms of the past few weeks, but we certainly have been appreciative of not just the retailers, but the manufacturers, all of the various stakeholders and indeed the public as well for being able to be patient at times, even if the tempers start to flare at times, but for the most part, being patient in respecting the guidelines and the Directives that have been given by the Government.
Santia Bradshaw [00:07:38] With me this evening, I also have the Honourable Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Bostic, Minister of Health and Wellness and I believe that given that we have had five days recorded straight of no positive cases, that this is an appropriate time for Mr., Colonel Bostic to be able to speak to the country as to the status of health care in Barbados in relation to COVID.
Lt. Col. Jeffrey Bostic [00:08:03] Thank you Acting Prime Minister.
Lt. Col. Jeffrey Bostic [00:08:06] Good afternoon, all. I am happy to report that four more persons will be released from isolation today after testing negative for the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. For the fifth straight day, there were no new cases reported in Barbados. The four persons who tested negative for the second time yesterday, were among 28 negative test results returned by the Best-dos Santos public health laboratory. This brings the number of persons who have recovered from the viral illness to 23, while 47 others remain in isolation.
Lt. Col. Jeffrey Bostic [00:08:53] A total of 75 persons have tested positive for COVID-19 since the first cases were diagnosed on March 16th. Of these, five have regrettably died. Since February 11th, the Public Health Laboratory has conducted some 1,063 tests.
Lt. Col. Jeffrey Bostic [00:09:17] The fact that we have recorded five days without any positive tests, I believe, is testimony to the outstanding effort that is being given by those public health officials who are working in the communities doing contact tracing. It also is a result of the level of cooperation and support that we’ve been having from the general public; those persons who have been presenting themselves with symptoms and those persons who have simply been cooperating in following the public health advice that we have been putting out over time.
Lt. Col. Jeffrey Bostic [00:09:56] But I want to reiterate that although this is indeed very encouraging for all of us, it is not a sign that we are out of the woods. We must not drop our guard. We must not drop the level of defence that we are putting up against this enemy. Should we decide to drop guard Barbadians and residents, that would be a sign that we are retreating. And as I’ve said before, no retreat, no surrender.
Lt. Col. Jeffrey Bostic [00:10:33] Ever since we started testing, we’ve had to manage the resources that were available to us and we would have started several weeks ago with about 500 tests available to the laboratory. As a result of that, we’ve had to be very, very careful in terms of how we utilize those tests and we established some fairly rigid criteria for persons who would qualify for a test. I’m happy to say today that from the paltry figure of 500, we now have available in this country, 27,000 tests.
Lt. Col. Jeffrey Bostic [00:11:17] Now we have been working assiduously to ensure that we cover all eventualities, including the provision of quarantine and isolation facilities. I would have said yesterday that although there have been a reduction in the numbers of persons being tested and yes, we have had some challenges with the availability of swabs, we were still testing persons approximately 30 to 33 for the past four or five days. I would also have indicated yesterday that one of the things that we would like to do and as quickly as possible, is to be able to escalate the amount of testing that we are doing, but we were hampered by the inadequate number of swabs that we had available to do the tests, but testing had been going on. And the only reason why the numbers are being reduced is because we were not having the numbers presenting with symptoms as we were having before. So that the testing site at Paragon has not been seeing the same amount of persons. There’s been a reduction significantly, so. And there’s also been a reduction of persons being referred from private medical facilities across the length and breadth of this country.
Lt. Col. Jeffrey Bostic [00:12:41] I’m happy to say today that as of midday, the Ministry of Health and Wellness has been able to secure 2,800 swabs, which significantly increases our capacity to escalate the testing that we are doing across this country. And we will do so in short order. We are going to revise the testing criteria and the Emergency Operations Centre will put out a new document that will be sent to service organizations such as our Councils: Medical Council, Nursing Council, Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners and to all other stakeholders, including pharmacists and pharmacies, so that we are all on the same sheet of music. And we will also be listing shortly, a number of centers which include the existing polyclinics, where you will be able to go to have those tests done. And I can say for right now that in addition to Paragon, we have also been able to establish a testing center at the field medical facility, which is located on Jemot’s Lane at the old Ministry of Health site.
Lt. Col. Jeffrey Bostic [00:13:56] So details will be published later, but suffice it to say that the Ministry of Health and Wellness intends to widen the scope of testing, including the number of persons that we will test on a daily basis. We will do so because we want to be absolutely certain that there is no community transmission in this country, even though at this stage we have seen no evidence to suggest, but out of the abundance of caution, that is a direction that we want to be able to go.
Lt. Col. Jeffrey Bostic [00:14:34] I am happy also to report that as of yesterday, the Harrison Point isolation facility was stood up and received its first three patients. Those patients were transferred from the isolation center Enmoore and today, the process started for persons to be transferred from Blackman Gollop to Harrison Point and that will be ongoing throughout the week because it is a fairly delicate procedure that has to take place, and we are doing so very, very carefully. So we’ll take our time to make sure that we get those persons transferred to Harrison Point as soon as is possible.
Lt. Col. Jeffrey Bostic [00:15:12] The intent is to fully utilize the Harrison Point facility. We have the staffing for that facility, local staff, as well as the nurses from Cuba who have been put into operation from yesterday. And we will continue to operate that facility. Fortunately for us, even though we have not been able to receive the number of ventilators that we have already purchased from abroad, we have sufficient ventilators, enough ventilators on island that would allow us to be able to deal with what presents before us right now and also what we anticipate in the very near future. We are in the fortunate, fortunate situation at this point to have one patient only on ventilator and we’ve been very fortunate that we’ve had persons who have been or were on ventilators, who have been taken off ventilators. And in one case, one person who was on a ventilator has been removed from isolation.
Lt. Col. Jeffrey Bostic [00:16:12] So I believe that we should really congratulate all those persons who have been involved in this process over the past several weeks as we continue to render the level of service that is required of the Ministry of Health and Wellness and all of its partners, including those in the private sector, to arrest this situation with COVID-19 and as I said before, to unite to fight against this virus.
Santia Bradshaw [00:16:47] Thank you, colonel Bostic. Again, I want to just commend, I think, on behalf of all Barbadians, the entire health team and certainly the Minister for his stewardship and the leadership that they’ve shown thus far. I think we have some positive results. And it’s nothing, as he said, just to reiterate, we are not going to become complacent. We’re asking Barbadians not to be complacent at this time, but again, to allow the medical authorities to guide this process so that we can all get through this and resume normal activities.