Make a change to the border situation!
That’s the call of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP), as Barbados continues to grapple with movement in and out of the country in the wake of 17 confirmed coronavirus cases.
President of the DLP, Verla De Peiza moments ago suggested that Barbados only allow nationals back home, and place all under mandatory quarantine.
“The Democratic Labour Party appreciates the need to keep our borders open to facilitate the sourcing of medicine and other essential supplies. However, a balance must be struck,” the DLP leader said.
“The uncomfortable reality now is that our per capita infection ratio is one of the highest in the region. This suggests that maybe we need to change our strategy,” the attorney-at-law advised.
She suggested that borders be closed to persons with the possible exception of nationals or all persons coming into Barbados be held in mandatory quarantine, as voluntary quarantine is too susceptible to breaches.
“Furthermore, now that the nation has to pause, this is the appropriate time to consider and implement ways to reduce our dependence on tourism and to help develop other revenue streams. In particular, we need to feed ourselves. The objective is to be better after this crisis than we ever were before,” she said in a media statement.
“Barbadians have both the capability and the resolve to make our country better and government facilitation is necessary at this time,” De Peiza concluded. (BA/PR)
