CARIBBEAN ROUNDUP
ANTIGUA
The Antigua and Barbuda government
is offering an 8,000 square foot of
land as an inducement to get nationals
to get vaccinated as the island moves to
curb the spread of Covid-19.
A statement issued after the regular
Cabinet meeting said persons must be
vaccinated between the period June 7
and June 30.
“Although nearly 35,000 adults have
taken the first dose at
this time, at least 5,000
additional first doses
need to be administered
by June 30, 2021,
the statement said.
Cabinet agreed that this novel
approach towards vaccination is intended
to encourage as many adults to
quickly vaccinate and to move the
country closure towards achieving herd
community.
It said that other incentives that
have been relied upon to encourage
vaccination against Covid-19 will continue,
including food, gasoline and gift
vouchers.
BAHAMAS
Minister of Health, Renward Wells
said the health care system in the Bahamas
is in a state of emergency due to
the increase of Covid-19 cases.
He said it was imperative that the
government responsibly extend the
Emergence Powers Order in his contribution
to the debate on the resolution
to extend the Order.
“We are currently facing a third
surge of the Covid-19 in the Bahamas,”
according to the national Covid-
19 report.
“We continue to record new Covid-19
cases in the country,”
he said.
He told legislators
in the House that at
this point in the third
wave the country was seeing Covid-19
infections in the very young and the
adolescent population and they were
hospitalized.
Wells noted that during the first and
second waves, Covid-19 cases among
those aged up to nine years represented
only one percent of the total cumulative
cases for each respective wave.
But Wells said that the same age
group now accounts for 106 cases or
three per cent of the third wave of
Covid-19 cases.
The health minister said that new
Covid-19 cases were increasing, hospitalizations
were increasing and health
worker fatigue is increasing. In addition
to these, the ministry reports that the
positivity rate is also increasing.
JAMAICA
Jamaica has established a 24-hour
Caribbean L 6 ife, JUNE 11-17, 2021
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St. Lucia’s Prime Minister, Allen Michael Chastanet addresses the 73rd session of the United NationsGeneral Assembly at U.N. headquarters,
Friday, Sept. 28, 2018. Associated Press / Richard Drew, File
dedicated hotline to assist children and
teenagers experiencing challenges or
who may be feeling overwhelmed with
adapting to changes caused by the
Covid-19 pandemic.
The Facility, the
Safe Spot National
Child and Teen Helpline,
is a multi initiative
involving the
Private Sector Organization
of Jamaica (PSOJ) and the United
Nations Children’s Fund(UNICEF)
Jamaica Office and the Office of the
Children’s Advocate (OCA) which will
manage it.
The authorities said that the Helpline
is intended to provide prompt responses
to youngsters concerns by eliminating
delays and increasing access to trained
professionals when they need it most.
Minister of Education Youth and
Information
Minister of Education, Fayval Williams,
who endorsed the initiative said
the helpline is a “most welcome step,” in
strengthening the government heightened
trust over the years to develop
and implement policies that affect the
address the physical, emotional and
mental well-being of Jamaica’s children.
She said this has been done through
increased funding and amendments to
the existing regulations or the introduction
of new ones.
SURINAME
The government of Suriname last
week announced a total lockdown of
the country for just over two weeks in
an effort to stem the spread of Covid-
19.
President Chandrikapersad Santokhi
in making the announcement said his
administration has promulgated Code
Purple, the worst risk level for the pandemic
for the entire
country and Code
Black for the situation
in hospitals.
The total lockdown
has been issued for the next three weeks
starting May 31 to June 18.
The president painted a grim picture
of the situation, saying that there was a
shortage of oxygen, hospital beds, medical
staff and health workers.
As of March last year, when Covid-19
first emerged in Suriname, 282 people
have died of Covid-19 and May this year
has been the deadliest month since the
pandemic broke out with 78 deaths.
From May 31st with the exception of
essential services, all government offices
will be closed and citizens are only
allowed to leave home for emergencies,
such as for medical reasons.
The President said that the enforcement
of the measures will be tightened
and those who violate the measured
risk stiff fines and additional penalties.
President Santokhi also noted that
the records show that all people who
have recently died of Covid-19 had not
been vaccinated, he is therefore urging
citizens to be vaccinated.
ST. LUCIA
St. Lucia Prime
Minister, Allen Chastanet
is appealing to
young people to move
away from gang violence,
as the island
recorded four murders in two separate
Continued on Page 30
THE NEWS FROM BACK HOME
Antigua offers vaccine incentives
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