Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony said that he is appalled with opposition Members of Parliament, Sherod Duncan and Christopher Jones, who both flouted the self-quarantine protocols to attend the National Assembly yesterday, thereby putting at risk everyone they came in contact with.
“It’s a public health concern…We have an order in place. We also have a public health law. That law clearly states that if anybody knowingly spreads an infectious disease, then they’re committing an offense …The Clerk of the Parliament, two days ago, put out a letter to all Members of Parliament to clearly state if anyone has COVID-19, then they shouldn’t attend the Parliament in person, but virtually. So, I guess the parliament recognized that there might have been Members of Parliament who had been affected by the disease, and they offered a different methodology for them to participate in the proceedings of the Parliament,” he said.
However, this alternative was not taken up by the duo.
“Two Members of Parliament, who have tested positive – instead of staying in self-isolation as is required by the Order and is required by the law – decided that they were going to breach those – order and law – and attend Parliament in person. One of those persons is Mr [Christopher] Jones, and the other is Mr Sherod Duncan, he said.
He continued, “Now, from the information that I’ve now received: they were tested [and] they were advised that they should stay home for at least 13 days – the first 10 and then the second three… Both of them are still supposed to be in home isolation..So, both of them have breached the rules that we have for self-quarantine. This is actually highly irresponsible of them to come to the Parliament and endanger their colleagues – endanger all of us…So this really is unacceptable behaviour,” Anthony said.
