Opposition Spokesperson on Youth and Sports, Senator Gabriela Morris, is expressing disappointment at the Government’s decision to prohibit spectators from the upcoming World Cup qualifier against Mexico, and possibly Costa Rica.
Against the backdrop of less restrictive curfew hours, Senator Morris maintains that the World Cup Qualifiers (Road to Qatar) presents an opportunity to revive the industry while ensuring that the sixth-place Reggae Boyz get the support that they need.
Senator Morris shared, “While I understand and agree that health and safety must be prioritised, overwhelming evidence exists to suggest that spectators who are vaccinated can attend matches in small numbers.”
The National Stadium, which has a capacity of around 30,000, can safely facilitate at least 5,000 patrons.
Morris further argued that with proper protocols in place, allowing spectators to attend the match would represent a good start in restoring some semblance of normalcy for citizens.
Senator Morris, in a statement on Sunday (January 23), is of the view that allowances must be made for vaccinated Jamaicans to enjoy some freedoms.
“Restoring certain liberties to the vaccinated population is effective in mitigating vaccine hesitancy and encouraging inoculation. The government has signalled that we must learn to live with COVID-19 and experts have suggested that despite the threat from Omicron, controlled gatherings in outdoor spaces as large as the National Stadium can be facilitated safely”, she said.
The Opposition senator expressed that immunisation is the most important instrument to sustainably contain the coronavirus and is encouraging all Jamaicans to get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.
Comments