Premier shirks debate on private sector’s ‘job-for-jab’ mandate
Premier Andrew Fahie has insisted that he won’t be drawn into any back-and-forth debates regarding his government’s COVID-19 policy or Labour-related concerns regarding the ‘job-for-jab’ mandate happening in parts of the local private sector.
Concerns continue to be raised about some employers who insist that employees must be vaccinated in order to maintain their jobs, and have terminated those who refuse to take the jab.
But even as Premier Fahie insists that his government will not make vaccination for COVID-19 mandatory, he also declared that it is every employer’s right to determine their own workplace policy and said his government will not intervene in this.
When asked at a recent press conference whether his government’s policy was contradictory in any way, Premier Fahie said: ”I am not going to get in this back-and-forth with this debate. Those who have issues with it, once they report it to Labour [Department] they will be dealt with and we will look at it on a case by case [basis].“
“For me to get involved in that will be going down a road that, right now, with all the issues that we have will not be necessary,” he said.
The Premier said he maintains that the focus should be kept on doing whatever is necessary to ensure that persons give themselves the best chance of staying alive and fighting the COVID-19 virus.
“Andrew Fahie is not the enemy,” the Premier argued, “COVID-19 is, and my answer to that remains the same.”
Meanwhile, Premier Fahie has also insisted that there will be no further lockdowns in the territory, a statement that he has defended as being ‘responsible’.
“We may lockdown certain sections but we’re not going to lockdown an entire country. We may have to make adjustments of course,” he stated.
“There will always be adjustments once COVID-19 is around but we cannot be locking down the country every time cases come, it doesn’t make sense. When we lock it down and we open it, are more people are going to be vaccinated? What are we getting from it?” Fahie questioned.
But even as Premier Fahie insists that his government will not make vaccination for COVID-19 mandatory, he also declared that it is every employer’s right to determine their own workplace policy and said his government will not intervene in this.
When asked at a recent press conference whether his government’s policy was contradictory in any way, Premier Fahie said: ”I am not going to get in this back-and-forth with this debate. Those who have issues with it, once they report it to Labour [Department] they will be dealt with and we will look at it on a case by case [basis].“
“For me to get involved in that will be going down a road that, right now, with all the issues that we have will not be necessary,” he said.
The Premier said he maintains that the focus should be kept on doing whatever is necessary to ensure that persons give themselves the best chance of staying alive and fighting the COVID-19 virus.
“Andrew Fahie is not the enemy,” the Premier argued, “COVID-19 is, and my answer to that remains the same.”
Meanwhile, Premier Fahie has also insisted that there will be no further lockdowns in the territory, a statement that he has defended as being ‘responsible’.
“We may lockdown certain sections but we’re not going to lockdown an entire country. We may have to make adjustments of course,” he stated.
“There will always be adjustments once COVID-19 is around but we cannot be locking down the country every time cases come, it doesn’t make sense. When we lock it down and we open it, are more people are going to be vaccinated? What are we getting from it?” Fahie questioned.
