Story on Page 3 MONDAY 18TH MAY 2020
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MONDAY 18TH MAY 2020 | ISSUE 79 | www.pointville.com PRICE$3 TEN-HOUR FIRE FIGHT Story on Page 3 MONDAY 18TH MAY 2020 PAGE 2 Local News Union boss calls for unemployment insurance The general secretary for the Antigua guides whenever the twin-island state and Barbuda Workers Union (ABWU), decides to go that route. David Massiah, is calling for the estab- He noted that the fallout from the lishment of a national unemployment COVID-19 pandemic has been quite insurance scheme for the country. severe and he recalled that following And according to Massiah, this was Hurricane Luis in 1995 many workers one of the recommendations he made in the hotel sector were made idle for when the National Recovery Commit- six months in some cases. In making a tee (ERC) met last week to plan Anti- case for the unemployment insurance, gua and Barbuda-post COVID-19 path General Secretary for the Antigua and he said whether it’s a health issue, as to recovery. Barbuda Workers Union (ABWU), David is the current case, or following a natu- The union official said the proposed Massiah ral disaster, workers quite often have to scheme should run along the lines of subject of discussions between all par- shoulder ‘too heavy a burden’ because similar schemes in both Barbados and ties; government, employers and em- there is no protection for them under St Kitts and Nevis. “This unemploy- ployees. “We can set up a tiered system these or other circumstances of eco- ment insurance should be administered where we determine for how long a nomic shock. by the Social Security scheme with worker who loses his/her job receives In related development, Massiah contributions made by both employers benefit; whether it’s for six months, wants the tripartite arrangements now and employees. This will help take care three months or another configuration,” in place with the establishment of the of workers who suffer job losses when Massiah stated. ERC to be formally institutionalized. businesses downside and are forced to The ABWU general secretary said “We are happy to be involved with the closed for reasons such as the current Antigua and Barbuda doesn’t have ERC but our wish is for it to be in place, pandemic,” he explained. to reinvent the wheel since similar not just in times of crisis, but to become He suggested that the details of how schemes are already in operation within the way we function as a nation moving the scheme will operate must be the the Caribbean and these should serve as forward,” he outlined. MONDAY 18TH MAY 2020 Local News PAGE 3 A fire at a warehouse on the Blue Waters Road engaged firemen from two of the is- Firemen battle fire land’s fire stations for more than ten hours on Sunday as they attempted to bring it un- through the night der control. Reporting from the scene phatically. of the fire late last night, Fire Weaver said the building Chief, Elvis Weaver, lament- is owned by Alan Aflak and ed that his men had been bat- he was told that while the tling the fire for more than building was not yet quite nine hours without bringing completed, it was already the fire under control. rented by a major distributor “We received the call for company that stored wines the fire about 12:45 Sunday and other spirits there. “There afternoon at up to 11:30 pm have been numerous explo- we are still on the scene with- sions since we have been here out being able to bring the fire which I suspect came from under control. It is a two-sto- the wines and other spirits rey structure and the second exploding,” he revealed. floor collapse down unto the The building was made of first floor,” Weaver stated. steel and corrugated galva- Weaver summoned two nize and located near North fire trucks from the St John’s coast hardware. station as well as a third fire It was the second fire that tender from the Coolidge sta- the fire fought on Sunday. tion. They were buttressed Earlier in the day, the firemen with a water truck from Willy responded to a house fire in D’s as well as one from with- York’s village. “The call for in the fire service. this morning’s fire in York’s But Weaver complained came at 8.35 am. It was a two that the construction of the bedroom wooden structure building made it dangerous - 18×22 – as well as a Store- the fire. Electricity, he noted, utilize the remaining water for his men to get close to the room - 8×6 – and another was attached to the house but they had and to return to their actual fire. “I am not sending house and its contents were it was not insured. A nearby respective stations. “I believe my men into the building to all completely destroyed,” house 24×25 got heat dam- we may return in the morning have any materials fall down Weaver reported. age. (today) with special equip- unto them. It is just too dan- He disclosed that the owner After almost twelve hours, ment or just let the fire burn gerous,” Weaver stated em- was not at home at the time of Weaver instructed his men to itself out,” Weaver remarked. MONDAY 18TH MAY 2020 PAGE 4 Local News Bars, nightclubs can help speed up their return - Nicholas Bars and nightclubs are tors are concerned about the among business categories health of not only ourselves still awaiting the green light as operators, but the health to reopen, as Antigua and of our patrons and the health Barbuda gradually eases of our nation; so, if we are a weeks-old lockdown to permitted to operate, this is contain the COVID-19 pan- what we are proposing to do demic. to ensure that we can main- The deadly respiratory vi- tain those particular health rus is so far known to have standards’.” infected 25 persons and Nicholas then appealed to claimed three lives in the any “persons out there who twin-island state, prompt- are operating bars and that ing a state of emergency type of establishment, they that brought an almost com- may want to look within plete shutdown of economic themselves and maybe start and recreational activities determining what could be Information Minister Melford Nicholas across multiple sectors such put in place, and to start an as tourism, sports and edu- the consumption of alcohol to lead towards cross con- engagement with the gov- cation. may result in impaired judg- tamination by persons who ernment.” Barber shops and beauty ment and flippant compro- have the virus, if they enter According to the Minis- salons were last week given mising of best practices. that environment, would ter, “Government would not clearance to reopen – sub- That was a question put to lend itself to spreading the turn its back on a discussion ject to strict regulations gov- Information Minister Mel- virus, and that is what we do of that type, but we have to erning the interaction of pa- ford Nicholas during the last not want.” approach this thing with … trons and service providers, post-Cabinet press briefing: Nicholas said he was un- trepidation, not wanting to such as wearing of masks, Were any protocols being aware of any protocols that lead to any situation where maintenance of physical crafted to take account of have been developed for the we are going to lose control distancing, and adherence the livelihoods impacted reopening of bars and night- of the virus again.” to hygiene and sanitization by the continued closure of clubs. “I don’t think we have He ended by urging bar protocols. bars and nightclubs, while been in contact with anyone and nightclub owners to en- But that reprieve has not mitigating the health risks who has actually proposed gage their minds in thinking yet been extended to bars that their reopening could that these are some of the about reopening, not only and nightclubs – among pose? regulations that may be con- for the purpose of having the most heavily patronized “Anywhere that liveli- sidered.” their cash tills ringing again, commercial establishments hoods are affected is of con- The Minister suggested “but about what you can do – many of whom are very cern for the Cabinet,” he that operators of bars and yourselves to ensure that the small family-owned/oper- stated. “But I think the over- nightclubs should perhaps health aspect of engagement ated enterprises on which riding issue here is what im- do what their hairdressing with people is given fair multiple interconnected pact would bars and estab- salon counterparts had done consideration. livelihoods depend. lishments like those – even when their reopening was “I would like to encourage Authorities are concerned gymnasiums – where we being mulled: “Many of those persons to think about about whether the risk-min- know for a fact that those them had actually come up how they can conduct their imization protocols will be environments and the activ- with a set of self-regulations business that would lead adhered to in these recre- ities that they would support and have offered to say, to healthy outcomes for all ational environments where are the ones that are likely ‘Listen, we too as opera- concerned.” MONDAY 18TH MAY 2020 Local News PAGE 5 Bus drivers want government relief Bus operators want the government to offer them relief in the face of se- vere economic challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. President of the Antigua and Barbu- da Bus Association, Keithroy Black, said the association will be writing to the government this week seeking a facility similar to fishermen who pay $10.00 per gallon for a gallon of gas.