Chief Spokesman for the APNU/AFC Caretaker administration, Mr. Joseph Harmon has said that the authorities are prepared to consider stronger enforcement of the COVID-19 emergency measures, if citizens continue to flout the necessary guidelines.
Mr Harmon has assumed chairmanship of the Sub-committee of the National Task Force on COVID-19, with responsibility for the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) and the coordination of the social relief measures.
Harmon noted that persons are flouting the curfew and other precautionary measures that were put in place and if the number infections continues to climb, stronger enforcement measures will have to be enforced.
“It seems that when I look at the figures now, that the curve is still going in an upward direction and therefore, we must ensure that we take those measures that are necessary to flatten the curve. While we are still using what I would call a soft stem approach, I believe that we are coming to the time where we will have to be strong on the enforcement measures with respect to the curfew,” Harmon said.
Additionally, Mr. Harmon has called for increased collaboration and cooperation among stakeholders, noting that entire country is affected by the disease, and therefore, all hands are welcomed on deck.
He also thanked the Private Sector for their contributions to the relief efforts.
Harmon also announced that through the CDC new measures will be put in place to strengthen its social relief response to the coronavirus COVID-19 disease, to ensure that every vulnerable person is assisted.
He noted that while in the past, the Ministry of Social Protection would have recorded the persons who are vulnerable; the situation has changed since there are now persons who have been dismissed or cannot leave their homes in the current circumstances.
“The CDC is a Commission that responds to an emergency. Invariably those emergencies are usually of a short-term basis and so immediately maybe after a flood, a fire or some other disaster, the CDC would go and they would make an assessment of what is needed, and they respond. This situation is a little different because it is likely that it will not be an immediate impact situation, but a long-term matter,” he added.
