PSU Refutes Attorney General’s Statements on Consultations

Attorney General Magali Marin-Young appeared on Open Your Eyes on Tuesday morning to discuss a number of issues, including new changes that are coming into force on October first, where additional COVID regulations are concerned.  Among those changes are a requirement for individuals to present a vaccination card or a negative PCR or rapid test result, in order to be allowed entry into a public building.  According to government’s chief legal officer, the Ministry of Health and Wellness consulted with various stakeholders, including public officers, ahead of the new regulations being implemented.  But the Public Service Union says that’s not so.  In a press release issued earlier today, the PSU refuted statements made by the Attorney General regarding those so-called consultations.  Here’s what President Dean Flowers shared with us this afternoon.

Dean Flowers

Dean Flowers, President, Public Service Union

“The AG informed the nation on Tuesday that the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Minister of Health and Wellness had conducted consultations with the relevant stakeholders and the wider general public and to the best of our knowledge, that statement was inaccurate. As far as we’re concerned, the labor movement or the labor sector was never consulted and to the best of our knowledge neither was the wider public on this matter. So I believe that there is some form of miscommunication or misinformation between the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Attorney General’s Ministry.”

Isani Cayetano

“What is the PSU’s position on the proposed changes that are coming into force on October first with respect of people needing to present either a vaccination card or the results of a PCR or a rapid test to enter a government building?”

Dean Flowers

“The PSU always advocates for adherence to the law and so if it is that regulations are passed which do not infringe on people’s fundamental rights in an unjust fashion then we will always encourage adherence to those regulations. However, where the proposed regulations are concerned, we don’t believe they present a balanced choice to our constituents, that being public officers. As you are aware, the AG said that the regulations will be directed specifically to public buildings which means that the individuals who stand to be affected by this are public officers.”