By Kimberly Ramkhalawan
May 4, 2021
Just five days after prime minister Dr. Keith Rowley announced closure of restaurants and malls in Trinidad and Tobago, comes additional stricter measures, this time banning all retail and vendors selling goods. Instead, any business open will be limited to only essential services such as pharmacies, supermarkets, financial services and hardwares. While he did not say a curfew was in effect, these essential businesses will only be allowed to open during the hours of 6am to 8pm.
The harsh measures which took effect Monday at midnight, will remain until May 23rd. This means another blow to the restaurant and food industry, as they only recently saw the reopening of dining last year. Last week PM Rowley closed all places of worship, gyms, spas and beauty services, cinemas and theatres, casinos and betting houses along with formal restaurants and malls, which included takeaway and curbside service. However, food vendors and retail outlets were still allowed to ply their trade. But within a few days, cases continued to climb and locals continued to congregate in front of food stalls in long queues and groves, while town centres such as High Street, San Fernando and Frederick Street in the nation’s capital of Port of Spain, saw high traffic of shoppers nevertheless.
For the month of April, Trinidad and Tobago saw a drastic increase in cases with an average now over 250 cases per day, with at least 20 deaths weekly, with the latter week in April being the deadliest to date.
But Trinidad and Tobago has been one of the only island states in the Caribbean not to have reopened since it first officially closed its borders in March 2020. With one year after the start of the pandemic, the country has failed to even repatriate several of its citizens stranded abroad. However, its new spike in cases has seen an increase even as several of the Brazilian Variant continue to be found among patients.
Last week, health minister Terrance Deyalsingh seemed to have evaded questions surrounding how the Brazilian variant came into the country, even as the nation remained closed to air traffic and incoming persons through its official ports of entry. Local reporters at its weekly press conference questioned the minister on whether this had to do with the influx of illegal Venezuelans entering through its porous borders. The health minister deflected the question to newly sworn-in Minister of National Security, Fitzgerald Hinds.
However, on April 23, a boat load of about 25 Venezuelans heading for the island capsized in its Delta, with at least five of its passengers drowning. News of the incident prompted Oropuche member of parliament, Dr. Roodal Moonilal to question why were so many still allowed entry into the country even as the Brazilian variant was found in an illegal immigrant that tested positive.
Monday’s press conference announcing the latest restrictions saw the TT chief medical officer, Dr. Roshan Parasram note that some 25 cases of the new Brazilian Variant was found. He says this variant, known as the P1, was said to be 1.5 to 2.5 times more transmissible and admitted its role in the increase in cases Trinidad and Tobago continue to see.
He said this is a recipe for quicker spread as it causes the virus to move through a population much faster.
Meanwhile, also at the Press conference, the TT prime minister implored citizens to stay at home unless absolutely necessary for essential business only, and to avoid any congregating if outdoors.
Dr Rowley revealed he intended to continue discussions with the minister of finance to provide support to persons in need, while for the month of May, five million dollars will be allocated to provide food support, while religious bodies will receive $10m to distribute to those in need. He also assured some $50m will be made available to those most vulnerable to the effects of the lockdown.