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SENDING a firm message for people to stay at home unless on essential work/business, the Prime Minister on Friday lamented people's defiance of measures to curb the covid19 pandemic and hinted that current strictures could be extended beyond the current May 23 deadline if a turnaround is not seen by then. At a briefing at the Diplomatic Centre, Dr Rowley led a chorus of appeals to do better including one by Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh who said earlier in his vehicle coming to work he had pulled aside and cried at the sight of so many people liming without masks at Independence Square, Port of Spain. While the briefing did not state the 324 new covid19 cases and five new deaths registered on Friday, Rowley expressed "my personal official disappointment" with people's failure to comply with measures to curb the pandemic. "What we are trying to do is stave off a calamity," the PM said.
He lamented that too many people were seeking exemptions, either "officially, illegally or crazily."
Rowley said if the group defying the measures was large enough, it would undermine the Government efforts against covid19.
"It is impossible to assign a police officer to each citizen," he said.
Lamenting the deaths of a father and son in the same home recently, Rowley said, "The fact no-one has died in your family is no excuse to play the fool."
To those individuals demanding to see the bodies of individuals who had died from covid19, Rowley warned, "Be careful what you wish for."
He urged Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith to help the population to understand that bad behaviour has a consequence, even as a high price is paid by those families hit by covid19.
Hoping for a good public response, Rowley alternatively asked aloud what decision would people expect him to have to make on May 23 if people's poor behaviour continues, hinting at an extension of the period of tighter measures.
He said, on Monday, Finance Minister Colm Imbert will publicly address measures to help people during this period, even as he said agricultural produce will be given to those in need. While acknowledging some covid19 weariness among people, he also expressed shock at a family which had turned up at a Tobago mall to do business unaware that all malls in the country were ordered closed.
While welcoming more vaccines due or likely to come to TT such as the WHO-approved Sinopharm vaccine plus others promised to Covax by the United States, Rowley warned people to be careful as they could still get infected and still infect others even if vaccinated. He urged people to ponder on which of their family members might be lost to covid19.
"I don't know how I got it," he said of his recent bout of covid19. He said he had done everything he had thought was right. Rowley said after feeling a bit ill he had been tested, expecting to be cleared but then got a positive diagnosis.
"A reality hits you."
Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Stuart Young, stated the new steps against covid19, from Friday midnight and for the next two weeks (May 8-23).
No one should be at work unless specified in a list to be published and even essential businesses should encourage many workers to work from home if possible.
Any businesses allowed to be open in this period must close by 8 pm.
Public transport must run at 50 per cent capacity, down from a current 75 per cent, while public gatherings (including exercise) should be no more than five people, except for banks, supermarkets, pharmacies, etcetera. Only emergency services will be allowed for dentistry, ophthalmology, etcetera. Those exercising must wear masks, Young said.
Plumbers, electricians may go to homes to do work, but not domestics nor gardeners unless live-in. Vehicle garages can provide only emergency services.
Building construction must cease as it entails the movement of many people.
Discount membership outlets like Pricesmart can sell only grocery items and must run at 50 per cent of customer capacity.
Farmers and fisherfolk are allowed to operate. Restaurants are not allowed to run delivery services, as the deliveryman could become a source of spread of covid19.

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