G.O.B. to Frontline Workers: Get Vaccinated or Present Negative Test Results

The Public Service Union, which represents quite a number of frontline workers, is yet to formulate a position on government’s latest move to compel employees to get vaccinated.  On Wednesday, during a press conference held by the Ministry of Health and Wellness, it was made clear that persons who have not received their doses of COVID-19 vaccine will now be required to present a negative COVID test on a bi-weekly basis.  It’s an expense that many are trying to avoid, but it leaves them little choice if they are anti-vaxxers.  This afternoon, News Five spoke with P.S.U. President Dean Flowers for a response to the recent announcement.

Dean Flowers

Dean Flowers, President, P.S.U.

“The Council of Management has not met to consider the statements of the prime minister yet, but I can say that we have or we are in receipt of several comments that we’ve received so far from across the public sector, you know.  There are those who are in favor of the vaccine of course, and however, there are those with reference to the prime minister’s statement, who believe that their rights to choose is being or may be violated and so the comments thus far have been a bit mixed.  The Council of Management meets on Saturday and I’m pretty sure that we will be able to have a better conversation on this topic as well as hear what the branch chairs are saying with regards to the comments from their membership across the country.  So we wait until Saturday.  What I can say, however, is that it would appear that the government and it would clearly be based on the prime minister’s comments.  There has been a conversation at the Cabinet level with regards to mandatory vaccination and I guess this goes in line with the no jab, no job discussion that we see unfolding across the Caribbean.”