TOBAGO Chamber of Commerce president Diane Hadad believes all citizens should no longer be mandated to wear masks in public.
She said so on Friday, after the Prime Minister announced an easing of several measures imposed by the Government to contain the spread of covid19.
In a statement in the Parliament, Dr Rowley said families will no longer be required to be masked in the vehicles, including marine vessels.
But he said mask-wearing will remain in effect in all public spaces and places where there is public interaction, such as churches and other places of worship.
Hadad said while she welcomed some of the prime minister’s announcements, the government’s mask-wearing mandate should be lifted in the context of what she observed were violations of existing covid19 protocols during Carnival.
“The prime minister’s announcements are a step in the right direction. However, we need to take a leap and we need to remove the mask-wearing completely because after the display of what went on for what may have been the legit reason of people celebrating a taste of Carnival, we need to understand that what was permitted was in contravention of all the covid19 mandates.
“And therefore, that, in itself, defies any instructions that should be given to the rest of this country’s people.”
As such, she said all restrictions at safe zones need to be removed.
“It is all now a farce.”
Hadad believes there is no need for mandatory mask-wearing at places of worship.
“People should be allowed to breathe freely. They should be fighting for their full freedom.”
Further, she said school children, who are being deprived of their education of socialising, need to be allowed to return to life.
“I don’t see the need for the holding on. I don’t understand what is the need for the control. People need to be allowed live life.”
In his statement, Rowley also announced that establishments currently allowed to operate as safe zones for vaccinated or exempted people and children under the age of 12, could now operate at 75 per cent capacity.
He said provided there are no “dangerous changes” in the country’s current covid19 status, children will be allowed to return to physical schooling in term three.
He also announced that public transport will be allowed to return to 100 per cent capacity while all public servants are required to return to work on Monday.
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