Established October 1895 Franklyn brings lawsuit against Government PAGE 3 Friday March 12, 2021 $2 VAT Inclusive EASE IN RESTRICTIONS GOVERNMENT has seen a Prime Minister Mia Amor for work and business from cials within the Ministry of She however stated, “While considerable change in the Mottley made the announce- Monday March 15, caution Health and the COVID we are going to see some liber- behaviour of Barbadians in ment in an address to the na- must still be exercised as Monitoring Unit. Are we out of ating and some liberalising of relation to guarding tion yesterday, as she gave an “we are not yet out of the the woods? Absolutely not. the restrictions, I want to con- against the spread of update on the management of woods”. Do we have however a far tinue to repeat and to ask all COVID-19 since the recent the COVID-19 pandemic in “When the time came for us better sense and a far better Barbadians, do not drop your phased reopening, and as Barbados. to say we needed to tighten up, level of performance than we guard, we are certainly too such, there will be a further Stressing that “we are trend- I (told) you so, straightforward. did two weeks ago…? Yes. We close to getting to a point of ease in the restrictions gov- ing in the right direction”, she I have to thank Barbadians for are trending in the right direc- safety for us to do so at this erning how Barbadians can however stressed that as the most part for responding tion,” the Prime Minister stage.” operate going forward. Barbados opens up more places and for working with the offi- remarked. EASE on Page 3 Long-standing EMT retiring after 40 years HAVING responded to hun- and impact it has on society; dreds of emergency calls during and gun violence – things his career in the Emergency which were never seen or imag- Ambulance Service (EAS), ined in former years.” David Agard is stepping back She described Agard as hum- from the frontline after an ble by nature, selfless, and impressive career which spans going beyond the call of duty 40 years and four months. more times than could be He officially takes his final counted. call as an Emergency Medical “David was a mentor to EMT Technician (EMT) on March 17. students, new EMTs, and was However, yesterday fellow often paired with them as he health professionals pulled out would give a good analysis of all the stops to make sure that their EMT and driving skills Agard, who joined the public unbiased,” Chase further ex- service in 1976 at the tender pressed. age of 16 as an orderly at the Ambulance Officer Wendy Queen Elizabeth Hospital, was Cadogan who joined the EAS given a fitting send-off. the same time as Agard hailed It was in 1984 that Agard him as a “model EMT”. made the big move to become He told the intimate gather- among the first batch of EMTs ing at EAS’ Wildey Head- trained in Barbados for the quarters, “If you worked with establishment of an Emergency David as a partner, you had no Ambulance Service. problem in terms of writing Despite many of his recruit- your reports; if you are going ing colleagues having left the on a call, you would have no service, Agard remained and problem finding your location has seen decades of changes, – David was always on top of according to paramedic Shelly his game. Ann Chase. She highlighted “If he is not your partner, but that Agard would have seen, he is on another shift that you worked, and served faithfully are relieving, to take a vehicle through four Ambulance from David was like glory – Officers; six Ministers of David is impeccable – he cleans Health; five Hospital Directors; a vehicle thoroughly. If David four Prime Ministers; and three says the vehicle is ‘good to uniform changes. go’, it is good to go. And to me “David has seen the evolution that is what we need from of ambulances; the evolution of persons in this type of field, the QEH; the mass exodus of not just because of COVID, but emergency doctors from the that is something that we A&E department to the genesis should be doing,” Cadogan of 24-hour emergency clinics; declared. the official registration of Agard expressed his sincere Dr. David Byer, Head of the Emergency Ambulance Service (left), presents a fruit basket to EMTs and paramedics into the gratitude to his colleagues for retiring Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), David Agard. Barbados registry; the evolu- not only recognising his contri- tion of major roads to highways bution, but also for the perfect to leave some valuable advice comes through, you should al- that he coped with the stress of and the increase of motor vehi- retirement gift of a Toshiba for up-and-coming EMTs. ways be on guard and always the job by making exercise part cle accidents and mass casual- Smart TV. “Anytime you get a call, de- expect the worst – never drop of his routine. ties; and the use of illegal drugs He also took the opportunity spite the information that your guard,” he urged, adding (TL) 2 • Friday March 12, 2021 The Barbados Advocate Gov’t aiming for vaccines on demand COVID-19 update: 19 DURING a national address committee and the Barbados the risk to the population is re- yesterday, Prime Minister of Association of Medical Prac- duced. The PM added that vacci- new cases, 58 recoveries Barbados Mia Amor Mottley titioners (BAMP), it was decided nations would continue for the said that her government is that the island’s vaccination pro- over 70s, people between the ages THE number of COVID-19 re- The total confirmed cases aiming to have vaccines on gramme would continue to the of 18 and 69 with chronic NCDs coveries in Barbados has risen are 3 372, comprising 1 600 demand for Barbadians. tune of 38 600 doses, using some of and an expansion to more people to 3 060, as 58 persons were females and 1 772 males. She is adamant that Barbados the stock already on the island, on the frontline. released from isolation on Thirty-seven persons have needs to have access to multiple which would then be replenished “I ask you, for those of you who Wednesday, March 10. died from the viral illness. sources of vaccines to help protect by those expected soon. The are not yet vaccinated, please de- Meanwhile, 19 new cases – To date, the laboratory has the country, and also highlighted African Medical Supplies Platform termine if you are going to take it, seven males and 12 females – conducted 132,108 tests. that this government, along with and the possibility of two commer- talk to your doctors if you need to, were identified out of the 746 Additionally, 380 persons other CARICOM Heads of State, is cial procurements – for which the but believe you me, it is critical tests conducted by the Best- were vaccinated on continuing to fight for the equi- government is awaiting details – that we need to be able to go for- dos Santos Public Health Wednesday, under the table distribution of vaccines inter- were also mentioned as possible ward together. But in doing that, Laboratory.Eight of these per- National Vaccination nationally. sources of vaccination doses. the best example is for you to pro- sons were already at the Programme for COVID-19. “The reality is that you can get The PM acknowledged that the tect yourself and in protecting Harrison Point Isolation A total of 50 263 vaccina- some, but the prices are greater efforts of the government to vacci- yourself, you ensure that we are in Facility undergoing assess- tions have been administered than you would otherwise pay and nate the country have gone well to a position to protect each other,” ment. There are now 275 ac- to 21 127 males and 29 136 fe- as a result we made determina- date, and announced that as of 4 the prime minister stated. (AS) tive cases on the island. males. (BGIS) tions, especially since the donation p.m yesterday,the total number of of the 100,000 doses donated by people inoculated against COVID- the government of India, that we 19 in Barbados was 50 621. are prepared to purchase outside “That is by no means anything of what we have already commit- to be scoffed at; it is a major ted to receive from the COVAX achievement for us as a nation and Facility,” the PM said. I want to thank Barbadians who Barbados will be among some of have come out in their numbers. the countries in the region to re- Yes, it was not always seamless, ceive its batch of doses from the yes people had to wait long, but as facility, with the island due to re- I indicated before, these things will ceive 33 600 of the expected happen when things are in great 100 800 doses within the next few demand,” she said . weeks. Mottley also announced She pointed out that people that the government of Guyana want the vaccine because they un- donated 5 000 vaccine doses to derstand that it is important for Barbados, which arrived yester- more Barbadians to be vaccinated, day. if we are to turn the corner in She stated that when the EOC achieving herd immunity and re- met, along with the cabinet sub- turn to some semblance of life once The Barbados Advocate Friday March 12, 2021 • 3 COVID-19 causing heart problems, doctor reveals PERSONS positive for doctors with what ap- not respiratory related, blood clots in their lungs sary of the global pan- neys and peripheral ill- COVID-19 are presenting peared to be heart related and when we tested they and blood clots in their demic.