Thursday, March 28, 2024

LIVE UPDATES: PM Mottley at the Airport

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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.

 

 

 

 

 

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