(Trinidad Guardian) Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley is chairing a team of experts—including former People’s National Movement and People’s Partnership finance minister economists Wendell Mottley and Winston Dookeran—who are drafting a recovery roadmap for Trinidad and Tobago following the COVID-19 crisis.
And by the end of next week—as the April 30 “Stay-at-Home” end date approaches—Government will assess how T&T’s fared with virus infections in April and will then look into May and June to see what may be done further.
Rowley announced the developments at yesterday’s post-Cabinet media briefing at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s.
While he said he was happy to hear that more infections weren’t being seen, given what other countries have experienced, he said the situation wasn’t guaranteed to show what’s available to Government beyond April 30.
“Let’s get closer to April 30 and see the infection rate and rate of acceleration or deceleration and that’ll give us another decision,” Rowley said.
He said well before April 30, Government will evaluate the national response and state of infection and that will determine what decisions are made and what new deadlines are issued. All decisions will be based on scientific advice from professionals and those on the frontlines, Rowley added.
Rowley said while T&T was fortunate to get the kind of infection report they got up to yesterday meant “…. we’re getting away.”
“We’re in a relatively good position, we have to hold the line,” he said.
Rowley said Government was preparing for the next phase via a roadmap to recovery, but couldn’t say when T&T would emerge from the COVID crisis. Due to the crisis’ damage on the country, Rowley said the appointed expert team is currently analysing the position.
Rowley’s chairing the team, the vice-chairman is Public Utilities Minister Robert Le Hunte and co-chair UTC chairman Gerry Brooks.
Other members include former ministers Mottley and Dookeran, health economics Professor Karl Theodore, Minister in Finance Ministry Allison West, businessman Robert Bermudez, First Citizens’ Karen Darbasie, businessman Christian Mouttet, accounts expert Colin Soo Ping Chow, businessman Sean Roach, CAL chairman Ronnie Mohammed, businessman Vincent Perreira, Finance permanent secretary Vishnu Danpaul, former Finance PS Allison Lewis, UWI economist Gregory McGuire, Tobago economist Sylverine Hazel, JTUM’s Christopher Henry, NATUC’s Michael Annisette, Tobago businessman Allan Warner and public interest representative Rondell Fields.
