PM Appeals For Jamaicans To Obey COVID-19 Measures

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, continues to implore Jamaicans to obey the measures put in place to contain transmission of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

These include an island-wide curfew, stay-at-home orders, having non-essential persons work from home, restriction on public gatherings, social distancing measures, adjusted market hours, closure of schools, among other safeguards.

“Some people are not taking it (the safeguards) as seriously as they should,” Mr. Holness noted, during the ‘Telethon Jamaica-Together We Stand’ event on Sunday (April 12).

“We are adjusting, but not fast enough. From my perspective, I would say that half of the population has already adjusted. There’s another half, who probably feel that they are too remote; they live in rural areas where it (COVID-19) is not going to come to their doorsteps, so they can continue life as normal,” he pointed out.

The Prime Minister noted, however, that he is seeing some behavior change with regards to social distancing.

“It is also introducing concepts that are necessary in our society, for example, respecting personal space. That’s not something that we do very well in Jamaica, but it is introducing these things in our social psyche and hopefully, these will become the new normal,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister is encouraging Jamaicans to use the curfew period, where they are instructed to stay inside their homes, as a time for reflection.

“Easter is the time when we reflect on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is a time of hope that even in the depths of despair, there is hope for a renewal, for rebirth, for a resurrection of the country and the world, which is going through a difficult time,” he said.

The ‘Telethon Jamaica-Together We Stand’ virtual fund-raising concert was aimed at raising US$10 million to purchase Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the country’s health care workers on the frontline battling the COVID19 pandemic.

Prime Minister Holness has donated US$3000 from his Foundation, Positive Jamaica, to the effort.