Barbados’ powerful umbrella labour movement, the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations (CTUSAB) is against any extension of the current lockdown of the Caribbean state when it ends this coming Wednesday.

The CTUSAB position follows soundings this week from Minister of Health and Wellness, Lt Col Jeffrey Bostic that the current shutdown, triggered by a spike in COVID-19 cases on the island, could be extended if cases of the viral illness fail to drop.

This hint of an extension also prompted the head of the Barbados Private Sector Association, Edward Clarke, to declare that an extension should only be considered in extreme circumstance.

At the same time he urged the public to comply with the COVID protocols. However, the CTUSAB has declared that it cannot “whole-heartedly embrace” any extension to the 15-day period. In a strongly-worded statement released on Friday (February 12), the umbrella trade union body said notwithstanding its support of Government’s aggressive response to control the spread of the coronavirus which it called a “national pause”, its impact on the economy and society would be devastating.

The statement from organisation’s General Secretary, Dennis DePeiza made the point that “CTUSAB is weary that a prolonged period of unemployment could have a devastating impact on the economy and society. It remains conscious of the implications this holds for the operations of business enterprises, the looming possibility of imminent closures that will directly contribute to the exacerbation of the unemployment situation.”

Government capacity under scrutiny

He reported that the organisation questions the capacity of the Barbados Government to meet the demands made for financial support by business enterprises, and by workers in varying sectors who have been displaced from work. As such, the union leader expressed doubt that a continued shutdown of the country would curb the situation of community spread recently confirmed by health authorities.

While highlighting the need to resume economic activity, DePeiza urged the incumbent administration to improve the conduct of COVID-19 testing and the provision of results, whilst encouraging the private sector to contribute to the testing programme.

The top rank CTUSAB executive emphasised that with the planned rollout of the national immunisation campaign arising from the arrival of 100,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine earlier this week, arguing that the Mia Mottley government should now be focusing on secure additional vaccines in short order.

In addition, he opined that the incumbent administration should be ensuring that there is greater monitoring of and compliance with the COVID-19 protocols. This, in an effort to reduce the incidence of the spread of the virus.