Foreign Affairs Minister E.P. Chet Greene says that his Government is “shocked” at the rating of Antigua and Barbuda, released today by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States.
The CDC latest travel recommendation places Antigua and Barbuda at Level 4 which is a ‘very high risk’ category. The previous rating, issued a month ago, had categorised the country at Level 3 or ‘high risk’.
Minister Greene noted that Antigua and Barbuda had devised and implemented strict protocols for curbing the coronavirus. “Consequently, we have no community spread and no clusters”, the Minister said.
He continued that “the level of infected persons remains relatively low at 139 with declining active cases, and only 4 deaths”.
The Minister also observed that while he was pleased for sister countries, Barbados and St Lucia that they have been placed at Level 2 or “moderate risk”, it is perplexing that their figures stand at 259 cases and 7 deaths, and 220 cases and 2 deaths respectively.
He noted that of 14 neighbouring Caribbean territories, eight of them are “very high risk”, three are “moderate” at Level 2, and three are “low risk” at Level 1.
Minster Greene disclosed that he has been in touch with Sir Ronald Sanders, Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States, and contact will be initiated with the CDC on Tuesday morning “to ascertain the basis on which the country has been placed in a “very high risk” category for travel”..
The Minister declared that “if something is not being done about which our authorities need to be aware, then CDC has an obligation to inform us, so that we can remedy it, but putting us on a “very high risk” list without notice, explanation or consultation cannot be right”.
Minster Greene undertook to make a further public statement once Ambassador Sanders hears from the CDC in the U.S.
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If you Chet Greene would really liked to be shocked. Jump into an transformer bank and see what happens. Then you would know. What a shock is all about. You cannot tell the USA what to do. Just as the USA do not tell Antigua and Barbuda.What to do.
Antigua doesn’t test randomly in the community
Antigua doesn’t test tourists
Antigua doesn’t quarantine tourists
Antigua doesn’t quarantine residents who have US/UK passports
Antigua doesn’t quarantine visiting workers in some or all cases
Antigua releases less information about COVID status than any other country I’ve seen. Everything is hidden
The official numbers mean nothing when hardly anyone is being tested
Maybe these clowns will stop playing with people’s lives and implement some real protocols
. Food for thought guys remember the U.S Ambassador had strongly objected to Àntigua about the strong ties with China and Gaston said that nobody can tell us who our friends can be. I know the Gastonites are ready to jump but I’m not attacking him just a point .US always get back at you one way or another . The Covid rating will hurt the economy Hmmm .
If you can’t figure why you are a cat 4 risk as rated by the CDC. Why the hell are you Minister of Foreign Affairs? You have to channel through Rom Sanders to figure that out? As I said back in June when you and the narcissist of a PM along with the rest of the Cabinet decided to open up the gateways into Antigua and a reluctant Barbuda. There was going to come a time when the piper will have to be repaid for the government’s rationale and reckless decision making.
Now you’ve put the country in a precarious position. A “very high risk” category as deemed by the US officials. The EU will follow along with Great Britain for the reckless decisions that you all have made on behalf of the residents of the twin island nation. Your major source markers for tourism. The engine of the economy.
You can’t play god with peoples lives. You can loose a job and get another. You can’t die and come back alive. Time to vote your asses out and send every last one of you in that Cabinet back into private lives.
Out of 39 years of Independence ALP/ABLP have been steering a rudderless and corrupt ship for 29 years. Your Government’s have been a failure to the citizens of Antigua and Barbuda. Look around. Tell me what do you see. I see an electorate that is outnumbered by native born. The day you allow Antiguans and Barbudans abroad to come home and vote. Will be the day the ABLP will become an historical part of our history.
Time to call the election and get some right thinking people making decisions for the good of all the people. Not a select few who might loose their status as well to do. COVID has shown all of us that no one is better than the other because of financial status. POWER TO THE PEOPLE!
Why is there shock? Do they think people dont see the games that have been played? Last year dengue, this year covid.
Why shocked ? Nobody believe the dam numbers not even Barbados. What the hell kinda protocol where tourist have a test done a week before and then free to walk around . Even if the numbers are right because of the ridiculous policies like with the worker from overseas that died recently those numbers can change quickly .
TPTB gave a man a knighthood for covid but from what we saw, you rewarded a man for creating utter chaos. The complaints have been so many, yet to paint a picture of serene, these complaints were trivialized.
Now here we are….
The tourists will still come but its time to face facts, the response could’ve been much different if TPTB had taken warning.
Hail Green – MP…check this out!
Just #Tweet Uncle Joe, Auntee Kamala, or Godfather Barack!
Antigua, it’s time to rename Boggy Peak, Mt. Fruity after Sir Andy “Fruity” Roberts…
Since, it’s in an area where the Nation can produce fruits galore, as this to the “idea,” as in planting, from encouraging to doing more; fruits of every kind which will grow there, and since, there is the newly revitalized #Backyard Gardening, which seems to be invigorating the children, youths and parents, add Agricultural Science, and Scientists in the mix.
I’m hopeful, that the UWI Antigua Campus, can bring us, up to speed in this regard!
So while the US leads the world in both cases and deaths the CDC rate us as very high risk. So what do they rate themselves? Extinction level? SMH
Well if there was inclusion of great minds in the processes and not a certain minister calling all the shots with individuals of not so great minds pretending that all is well, maybe Antigua would be at Level 2.
Mr Green knows exactly what we are level four.
It is not the amount of active cases its the lack of medical facilities to treat people.
We are in fact doing reasonably well .
But if you get very sick here we don’t have the medical facilities or training to treat people properly .
We still have to send tests to Trinidad !
Bing some of the samples are tested in ANU and reflected under the column tests at MSJ. Fact is where CARPHA is concerned, oher OECS islands are also sending some of their samples to them to be tested, yet many of them received the US moderate, and a few low ranking
But why are we surprised at the CDC’s conclusions,, as idiotic as they may be. But when one reads and assesses the mind of the nation as can be gleaned from the insipid, nonsensical, politically-driven, baseless comments that we spew on a daily basis, what other conclusions can one come to. Please stop blaming Barbados or any other source for our rating. We have done it to ourselves. And let’s not forget the ever-ready willingness of US agencies to stoke confusion and instability in the Caribbean, as they ignite nation against nation. I would not lose sleep over this. Many in the local population seem not to give a damn about the reality of covid-19 in Antigua so…carry on. Those who have ears to hear, let them hear. Those who continue to predict their own destruction and actively participate in this eventuality….let them! One inexcapable truism: Who dead must bury!!
ARE THOSE IN CHARGE READING THESE COMMENTS ?
The US must have mistaken us with the Antigua in Guatemala which is in state of emergency due to the hurricane. Hope our government will rectify the swiftly.
Chet Greene is too busy with IOC matters.As if that helps the people of Antigua and Barbuda.The people business is job one.Not you being the President of the IOC in Antigua and Barbuda.By the way.Is that a paid position.Why not give it up to someone else.You people just want all of the absolute power. Greedy,selfish,all for you and none for anyone else.If you were doing the work. For which you were elected to do.You would have known the Level 4 category was coming.Is there a disconnect between you and that Guyanese born Ambassador in Washington,DC.What is his function in Washington.Is he really representing Antigua and Barbuda over there.Think about it and begin working on a replacement.He has not done one damn thing to enhance relationships between Antigua and Barbuda and the USA in my opinion.Like Melford Nicholas and a few others in the Cabinet.What do they really do.To earn their paychecks.
This level 4 rating is very destructive to the economy of Antigua. It could be the death knell for LIAT and will wreck the economy. Hotels that were opening up are now closing. The tourism sector is the major employment provider. This stance by the US begs the question. What would lead them to give Antigua this rating? Do they know something the government is not telling? Is this a ploy to force certain vaccines on Antiguans, they being aware that with this rating tourists will not come to Antigua unless there is mass vaccination?
America has the highest number of Covid cases and deaths in the world. Have they given their country a level 4 rating and ask people not to visit the US?
The Antiguan government should get an explanation from the US for this rating. The US doesn’t seem to care that it’s policies can destroy other countries economies and plunge their people into poverty and desperation.
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