Jermaine Figueira
August 13, 2021
Lindeners against the restrictions on access to health services in Region Ten aborted plans for continued protests and cleared a blockade from the Mackenzie/Wismar Bridge on Wednesday night after government decided to relax vaccine requirements.
The protest action by Lindeners came after unvaccinated nurses and doctors reporting for duty as well as members of the public seeking medical attention were locked out of the Linden Hospital Complex.
Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony on late Wednesday night announc-ed a two-week extension to allow healthcare workers and public transport operators more time to become compliant. The Health Ministry also made it clear yesterday via an advisory that persons seeking medical care must be allowed access at public health facilities, regardless of whether they are vaccinated against COVID-19 or not.
Protestors blocking the Mackenzie/Wismar Bridge on Wednesday
Following Anthony’s announcement, APNU+AFC Member of Parliament Jermaine Figueira informed the protestors. During his address to the group he managed to persuade them to call off the protest. The barricades were removed just after 10.30pm on Wednesday.
He told Stabroek News that even though he informed the protestors of the revision, they demanded proof and therefore immediately proceeded to the hospital to check if the gate was opened and nurses were allowed to enter their place of work.
After verifying that the restriction had been suspended, the protestors returned to the bridge and removed the material used to block it.
Some government agencies have been requiring persons to produce proof of vaccination before being allowed into public buildings. Transportation service operators under the recently updated emergency measures were also required to be vaccinated and at all times have their vaccination proof on their person.
Additionally, members of the public who wished to visit a ministry or a government agency for services and chose not to be vaccinated were required to make to make an appointment. Several ministries have also sent out memoranda encouraging vaccination and informing staff that if they are unvaccinated they would have to provide a negative PCR test before they can be allowed to work.
Despite the protestors relenting, Figueira said he would not be surprised if persons return to the streets in the future to protest the restrictions when they are once again enforced. On this note, he called on government to ramp up its education campaign on vaccination.
Region Ten Chairman Deron Adams said the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) is prepared to collaborate with the Ministry of Health on a robust education campaign. Adams yesterday told this newspaper that he has already requested a proposal from the Regional Health Officer Dr Gregory Harris on how they can tackle misinformation and provide clear explanations to persons.
He stated that they are looking to the Ministry of Health to provide the resources necessary to push the campaign and make it successful in the next two weeks.
Meanwhile, Regional Commander Hugh Winter yesterday afternoon related that after the protestors peacefully removed themselves and the debris from the bridge, and persons who were stranded for hours were able to resume travel.
On Wednesday, the protestors used debris, bicycles, tyres, and planks to block both sides of the bridge. Some cars were also used to block the entrance to the bridge to prevent larger vehicles from passing.
The blockage of the bridge, which is the main connector from Linden to the Lethem and Mahdia trail, saw dozens of travellers in minibuses, pick-ups and other vehicles being stranded. The majority of the vehicles were stuck on the Mackenzie side of the bridge.
Several residents told Stabroek News that they decided to join the protest because they do not agree with the locking out of healthcare workers, particularly because unvaccinated patients were being made to suffer.