Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Rowley, appointed a 22-member COVID-19 ‘Road to Recovery’ committee on 16 April 2020 to handle and advise on the path of the post-pandemic economic and social recovery. Afra Raymond discusses what he believes should be the priorities of this committee.
- Programme Length: 00:10:15
- Programme Date: 18 April 2020
AfraRaymond.net 
First class, as usual, Afra. You are really only asking for one thing – TRANSPARENCY. Everything for this government seems to be a state secret, even down to not allowing individuals to see their ownncovid test results! I would love to see the recommendations that were made 4 years ago by Terry Farrell’s committee……I suspect that these will probably be much the same as those which must come out of the Post Covid (PNM) “Recovery Team”. Keep up your great work. And thanks, from us all. Regards, Brian.
Thanks a million, Afra! Sometimes I’ve wondered whether I’d ever see the procurement law fully proclaimed and implemented in my lifetime. You’re making the chances of that happening a little better.
While transparency at all stages of the process is essential, the Public involvement / participation in developing such a public policy document, I would think, should also be necessary.
Afra, would you agree that public consultation would be relevant to the process?
Thank you Afra. Members of the committee is e relevant. New Process great. Pounder Report Textile and Garment, millions spent and laying on a shelf for decades. Wast of tax payers money. This time there must be Court Marshall. Also we hope they have open forums for small business inputs.
Afra, yours is a very useful intervention – congrats.
Before the PM’s Committee was announced, I concluded that T&T needed the immediate appointment of two Task Forces. The first to produce a Roadmap for the reopening of business places and related sectors, e.g education etc, for action by say the end of the year. The second to produce a Roadmap for the restructuring of the economy and all other sectors to meet the needs of the new normal that the country will face post Covid-19 for action in 2021 and beyond, a task that the PM’s Committee appears to be targeting. The public should be invited and arrangements made to receive our ideas for consideration.
Thanks for this Afra! Well said as usual. If I am to apply behaviour trends, then I must question the composition of the Committee as this government has not shown a history of good judgment in the persons they select to do important tasks. Case in point the composition of State Boards. This is not an aspersion on the persons selected but rather on the judgment of those charged with the responsibility to choose. I agree 100% that we must see the report so that we can make informed judgments for ourselves. Because let’s face it, the root of the problem is a lack of trust in this government. People do not trust them because of the gross leadership mistakes made in the past. As for the complete proclamation of Act 1 of 2015? Again, lack of trust which is justified by behaviour trends.
The dilemma is save the people or save the economy.
The thing is without people there will be no economy .
Where is the line going to be drawn ,cannot be in the middle and it cannot be permanent but reactive to the changing scenario.
Those most at risk and mainly depending on Government help are those at the lowest end,the service industry so the Big team has to think small first .
How do they get those people off Government handouts and back earning for themselves .
This will free up that money to be used in a more productive way .
At the same time how do you keep these workers safe and free of the virus ?
The answer may be large scale testing at regular intervals
2000 people per day every day , when the test shows negative you are given a wrist band entitling you to work , or move around ,retested every seven days .
Fast food,retail stores,malls CPEP, construction
To a blind public, a nod is as good as a wink and Daryl Smith’s immunisation reflects Sparrow’s 1965 song called Get to Hell Out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siWMEU22cmE As Williams did, so does Rowley.
The systemic privacy of process and the opaque authorisation and implementation of priorities by our leaders on public matters form Afra’s core argument. He wishes the Public Procurement Act to be legalised as the first step in this process.
David Muhammad (and Bridglalsingh above hints) wisely addresses the ‘normalisation’ process suggesting that the minimum wage holders group should have greater economic and infrastructural improvements as a major part of the recovery work. To an awakened public, a word is as good as a pledge.