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Vol. 32, Issue 33 BROOKLYN EDITION August 13-19, 2021
COVID
DIVIDES
CARICOM
Two camps emerging with
vaccines at center of issue
By Bert Wilkinson
A serious war of two worlds
is emerging in the 15-nation
Caribbean community with
one demanding mass vaccinations
of citizens to achieve
herd immunity and the other
stoutly and resolutely resisting
any central authority efforts to
force them to take COVID-19
vaccinations.
In the past week, authorities
in St. Vincent, Antigua, Barbados
and Guyana have been
forced to take drastic action to
either stem very militant protests
against vaccine mandates
or to use draconian measures
as in the case of CARICOM
headquarter nation, Guyana,
which this week slammed
doors shut at state buildings to
unvaccinated staff and visitors
much to the chagrin of those
who were turned away.
In Antigua, protesting
groups which at the weekend
had forced police to fire tear
gas canisters at them to douse
anti vaccine mandate protests
Wednesday said they are
preparing for a second round
of street demonstrations on
Thursday to force the Gaston
Browne Administration to back
off from plans to coerce frontline
workers across the country
to be vaccinated. Several people
have been arrested since Sunday
and the police said more
are imminent even as officers
warned the so-called ‘Freedom
Fighters’ group not to hit the
streets again. Browne blamed
the opposition United Progressive
Party (UPP) for the demonstration
where police also
fired rubber bullets to disperse
the crowd. The opposition has
hammered Browne and police
for using teargas and rubber
bullets on ordinary citizens
and has called for the release
of those arrested, deeming it
an overkill.
In nearby Martinique,
authorities there asked all visitors
to leave as the country
shuts down for three weeks
from mid week to deal with
a massive spike in case numbers.
“We are entering a second
phase of closure. Shops
will close except food stores
and pharmacies,” local media
quoted Stanislas Cazelles, the
prefect of Martinique as say-
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo arrives to depart in his helicopter after announcing
his resignation in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., Aug. 10, 2021. REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs TPX
IMAGES OF THE DAY
Williams hails Cuomo’s resignation
By Nelson A. King
New York City Public Advocate
Jumaane Williams on
Tuesday welcomed the resignation
of Gov. Andrew Cuomo,
saying that “many of us have
known for a long time that
Andrew Cuomo was the wrong
governor for New York.”
“The last several months
have plainly revealed that to
the world, as brave women who
endured the governor’s abuse
have spoken out, and as his
administration has attempted
to attack and ignore them,”
said Williams. “And while I
hope that today gives the survivors
of his conduct some
semblance of peace and measure
of justice, it is not a day of
triumph and celebration, even
the words of his resignation
statement inflicted pain on
survivors across the state.
“Today I am reflecting on
the totality of the harm done,
the systems that enable it, and
the work ahead to dismantle
those systems,” he added.
“Andrew Cuomo has only ever
been interested in his own
interests. As a result of his
forced resignation, state government
can now work solely
for the people of New York.
“Resignation does not undo
the harm he inflicted on the
women who came forward,
nor does it reduce the damage
that his abusive governance
has long wrought, but it creates
an opportunity to begin
to recover,” Williams contin-
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