‘We have to take matters in our hands’ - Councillor pleads for more stakeholders to get involved in COVID-19 fight

Councillor for the Hayes division Scean Barnswell is expressing concern regarding the lack of compliance with COVID-19 protocols by residents – not just in his division, but throughout the parish.

At the recent municipal corporation monthly meeting, medical officer of health for the parish, Dr Kimberly Scarlett Campbell, also expressed alarm at the growing numbers of COVID-19 cases in the parish.

Barnswell, in an interview with The Gleaner, urged the police to work along with the health department in holding those who are breaching the protocols accountable.

“At last month’s municipal corporation meeting when the medical officer informed us of the number of COVID cases in the parish, it’s alarming and I am concerned,” he said, pointing out that within six weeks, the parish has recorded 530 confirmed COVID cases.

Pointing out that although it is not confined to one geographical area in the parish, Barnswell said the sample of the tests done simply means the numbers will be greater.

It is with that in mind that he is renewing the for call for government agencies and businessplaces to have readily available masks to give to their customers.

“We should be having persons in our town centres walking around giving out masks, if you want to call them COVID wardens, fine.”

DENOUNCING ILLEGAL PARTIES

Barnswell also denounced the illegal parties taking place.

“As I said in the meeting last month, I believe one of the greatest conduit for transmitting this virus from point ‘a’ to point ‘b’ is the public passenger vehicles,” he said.

According to Barnswell, despite the public education drive and the support given by Custos William Shagoury’s office – issuing masks and sanitisers along with other private entities in May Pen, people are still not adhering to the guidelines.

“Remember now that there are other variants out there that are even more easy to catch than the COVID-19. I am asking leaders, whether the church or business place, let us get all hands on deck; this is a crisis and we need to deal with it as such,” is the plea coming from him.

With the May Pen hospital almost at full capacity, Barnswell said it is time for everyone to take safety in their own hands. He also made the call for the police and the municipal police to start getting more serious by moving around the town centres and apprehending those who are in breach of the safety protocols. He said once this is being done, they will take the protocols more seriously.

Up to yesterday, Clarendon’s total of COVID-19 cases stood at 1,167.

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