By Carlena Knight Prime Minister Gaston Browne is continuing to defend the government’s purchase of the Deluxe Cinema building to turn it into a creative arts…
Protocols to be tested on smaller vessels first when cruise sector is revived antiguaobserver.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from antiguaobserver.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Gov’t to probe alleged breach of Covid-19 protocols at luxury resort
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The country’s tourism minister said he has given his full support to an investigation that will be conducted into an apparent breach of health and safety protocols at the Hodges Bay Resort and Spa.
The probe, to be conducted by both the Ministries of Health and Legal Affairs, follows the circulation of videos and images of parties and events that apparently took place recently at the resort.
They show people standing and sitting closely together, violating rules on physical distancing and facemask-wearing.
In one of the images, obtained by Observer, a waitress is seen serving guests without wearing a mask.
Tourism minister supports lockdown if Covid-19 cases spike
If a sharp rise in Covid-19 infections forces a new shutdown in Antigua and Barbuda, the already struggling tourism sector will no doubt plummet – but the man at the helm of that industry is nonetheless supporting suggestions to partially close the country.
Information Minister Melford Nicholas said last week that government could be left with no choice but to embark on a national lockdown if Covid-19 numbers continue to climb.
Antigua and Barbuda currently has 27 active cases out of the 189 confirmed to date, while six people have died.
Yesterday, Tourism Minister Charles “Max” Fernandez told Observer that while tourism will receive the hardest blow of any such lockdown, the lives of residents are paramount.
Poor people can’t get a break
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And the hits keep on coming. We’re referring to the persistent blows to the backs of the poor of this country. The latest is the distressing news from the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) that,
“Following the nine-month waiver of disconnections as part of APUA’s Covid-19 Relief Efforts,
disconnections of utility services for residential and commercial services will resume from February 1
st, 2021. To avoid disruption of service, customers are encouraged to settle accounts in arrears.” Sigh!
The big question is,
HOW! How the hell are they going to be able to settle arrears when they are still barely scratching out an existence with temporary jobs, because their permanent jobs are still on shutdown? How are they going to make good on their arrears when they have been severed, with no severance monies forthcoming? (see Jolly Beach and LIAT workers). Their savings are depleted. They have had to tighten their bel