Key points and live updates from the April 15, 2021 media conference by Prime Minister Mia Mottley from the Grantley Adams International Airport on the national cleanup and COVID-19.
She will be joined by Minister of Health Jeffrey Bostic.
Minister of Health Jeffrey Bostic
- Yesterday 562 tests, 9 new positives,
- Eight released from isolation today
- Bostic says he is happy statistically.
- The country has contributed to continuous decline in positivity rate
- Things could be better, but there are a few situations being monitored over last several days.
- A Cluster in north of country…22 positives over couple weeks. Members of the church and immediate family.
- This cluster was linked to three other cases – a cluster of ten and one each at other two institutions
Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley
- The PM is pleased the numbers are low. Things can be better but we came a long way.
- Do not drop guard at all.
- The vaccination programme will restart soon based on dealing with ashfall.
- A site visit was made to the Airport after curtailing a meeting of Cabinet.
- Prof Richard Robertson of UWI Seisimic Research Centre called the PM to advice after eruption this morning.
- Regular eruptions have declined.
- On Monday, a site visit to airport showed too much ash.
- There will be a fully ramped up cleaning programme at airport with major civil and construction companies on site.
- This will be divided up in quadrants to clean.
- There was advice from the Ministry of Agriculture and Barbados Water Authority.
- Potable and limited sea water will be used to clean airport and keep dust down.
- Barbados reviewed the cleanup of other airports to help us.
- There is urgency now to open the airport. It was cut off for last six days.
- There is still the potential risk of ash, but for now it has eased.
- The respite is on advice from experts monitoring La Soufriere which is not as bad as 1979.
- There is a drill every year for flood and hurricanes, now there must be a plan for ash.
- All hands on deck helping to mitigate ashfall.
- The cleaning of all Government buildings, with the exception of schools and medical institutions, will be under guidance of Ministry of Housing.
- Minister Dr William Duguid will bring on extra people to help clean housing units.
- Secondary roads must be properly cleaned, especially drains and sewers so when heavy rain falls it doesn’t impact with flooding.
- In the next 10 to 14 days, over 1 500 people will clean the country in a massive cleanup campaign.
- Mottley pleaded for citizens to keep it clean hereafter since it is less than six weeks from the start of hurricane season
- Water from sewage plant and from the sea to be brought to the Airport to help with cleaning.
- The volume of water needed to clean will compromise the country’s need.
- Please conserve water, she pleaded.
- No long showers, no running of water while brushing teeth.
- The absence of ash will mean the Airport can reopen in two days.
- There will be a volcano ash plan for all institutions in future.
- Bridgetown Port doing well in their cleanup campaign.
- All utility companies doing their part also.
- Government will track damage from a health perspective
- There will be measurement of ash across the country to see the depth of impact.
- The Coastal Zone Unit will check the impact on coral reefs.
- There will be a roofs to reefs survey.
- Reminder to sprinkle water to clean and conserve until we get out of this.
- PM assures water will be sent to affected districts.
- She has mandated the Barbados Water Authority to get trucks out.
- Government has to do their own assessment on crops and livestock.
- Agricultural imports from St Vincent will also be affected.
- The 1 500 workers are temporary, but will return to clean roads if ash comes back.
- Minister Jerome Walcott is in talks with friendly nations and friends globally for assistance, both substantive and technical.
- The Prime Minister says work at Airport will be done in a way to avoid bothering people who live next to the facility.