Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister Allen Chastanet has appealed to citizens in the aftermath of two COVID-19 deaths here, to stop the socialising and has disclosed that reintroducing a state of emergency is on the table.
The PM told reporters Wednesday that meetings were already underway to review whether existing protocols should be strengthened.
He recalled that the government had introduced a COVID-19 bill to substitute for an earlier state of emergency.
However he explained that the bill does not allow the government to institute a curfew.
“If in fact we believe that going back to a curfew is necessary, it will require us to reintroduce a state of emergency and that’s certainly something that’s on the table,” Chastanet told reporters.
He declared that his administration will stop at nothing to protect the lives of Saint Lucians and their livelihoods.
“This is a crisis and we have to be able to solve this problem,” Chastanet stated.
“We can do this – that’s the sad part. We’ve shown that we could have done this before,” he observed, adding that the opposition has to play its part.
“There is no election – there’s nothing more important than people’s lives – certainly not politics. So it’s not about a blame game. It requires that all the leadership of this country come together – teachers, pastors, politicians, business people, everyone has to come together – the Rasta community, and speak with one voice.”
“And yes, we have to hold each other accountable. If I am not wearing my mask, I expect people to say ‘Prime Minister you need to wear your mask’, and we need to do that for each other and not get offended – protecting each other, that’s the solution to this problem,” Chastanet told reporters.
He said the number of COVID-19 cases being recorded in Saint Lucia are not fake.
According to Chastanet, the only way to fight the virus is through discipline, including wearing a mask to protect oneself and others and observing social distancing.
“Right now, I am really asking for the nation to go to work and go home,” the PM told reporters.
Stluciatimes
