The Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce has welcomed the Government’s decision to revoke the state of emergency (SoE).

However, it believes the Government must clarify certain “grey areas” in relation to business operations.

Parliament was scheduled to meet on Wednesday to discontinue the SoE and the 10pm-5am curfew. The SoE began in May and the most recent extension was initially scheduled to end on November 30.

The chamber’s president Diane Hadad told Newsday the association fully supports the lifting of the SoE.

“Finally, the state of emergency which we were not in is finally removed from an official position and therefore there is not the curfew,” she said.

“However, because of the public health ordinance, there is a grey area as to what we can and cannot do from an economic perspective as well as what is the public’s expectation if business is not open.

"I think those grey areas need to be cleared up, because previously, we were given orders to close at specific hours, even without an SoE, in the beginning of the pandemic, and therefore we need to understand what are the guidelines under the public health ordinance that are going to be implemented or are being thought of or considered, because that is very unclear.”

Hadad said the chamber is very concerned about the possible increase in crime on the island as a result of the lifting of the SoE.

“The only emergency they have now is to deal with all of the criminal elements that are coming out.”

She believes Gary Griffith’s removal as commissioner of police “has already sent a clear message that the criminal elements (have) the all-clear to ramajay.”

The Tobago Business Chamber also welcomed the revocation of the SoE, if only for the negative impact it has had on business activity on the island.

It said, “The Tobago Chamber looks forward to the Government’s promise to the lifting of the state of emergency and the curfew because we recognise that these two elements have caused tremendous hamper and damper to business.”

Its chairman Martin George also observed that no empirical evidence has been forthcoming to suggest that the SoE had been effective in reducing the number of covid19 infections.

“If you look at the figures, you can see no clear correlation between the implementation of the SoE and the curfew and any significant reduction in the numbers over the time period that they have been in place,” he told Newsday.

“Whatever benefit we may have derived from them, we are happy that now that it is about to be lifted and we look forward to seeing an increase in business and a return to normalcy in terms of business activity.”

George urged citizens and visitors to Tobago to continue to observe all the covid19 health and safety protocols on wearing masks, physical distancing and reduced capacity at certain establishments.

He also advised people to get vaccinated.

“We continue to say that vaccination is the key and the only way out of this pandemic. We urge and encourage persons again to get on board with the vaccination progr