THE COVID – 19 COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION IN REVERSE?

Transparency Solomon Islands calls on the Secretary to Prime Minister Dr. Jimmy Rogers to retract his statement on the reversal of the Covid-19 Community Transmission.

That statement is irresponsible and is not in the interest of the fight against Covid-19 community transmission, nor is supported by any systematic, systemic collected data or mass swabbing or survey that would inform us so.  It is clear that Dr. Jimmy Rogers is clutching at anything and willing to go to any length of telling lies because he has been caught red-handed not having any plan in place for the last two years to prepare the country for the community transmission of Covid-19.

Is this another Ontong Java saga, another Mustard Seed Scheme [Parliamentarians Health and Medical Scheme], Extension of Parliament etc. to dazzle people with, hiding your inability to professionally and properly assess issues, make comparative analysis, working out the risks, costs etc. The information the SPM give out lacks credibility and one would be a fool to trust it. Like other schemes that SPM has a direct involvement in initiating, through his fast talking and smart manipulation of the politicians, heckling out those that can expose him for his lack of substance, are not supported by any comparative analysis of systematic, systemic collected data and whilst they may serve the need for the Secretary to Prime Minister to remain in power it has reduced the trust that people should have in their government.  It has added to the disrepute leveled at the Executive Government in particular the Prime Minister by the Opposition and those working from within the system.

Transparency Solomon Islands urges the Secretary to Prime Minister to provide the data that he used to make such an announcement, for this is a very dangerous announcement, putting people’s lives at risk.  Here Transparency Solomon Islands refers to the Covid-19 data given out on 22^nd February 2022.  On that date, the data is as follows:

Whilst the table raises many questions needing improvement for public consumption, in relation to the transmission reversal that the Chairman of the Covid-19 Oversight Committees Transparency Solomon Islands asks the following questions:

1. Of the number recorded as positive cases, what happen to the 4,334 people that are positive.
2. Can the Chairman of the Covid-19 Oversight Committee inform the Public, in which Quarantine Facilities have they been held in.
3. What protocols, or follow-up programs are there to monitor their movement and if they have recovered or not?
4. What protective supplies [mask, sanitizers] have they been issued with to protect them transmitting it to their families or the public.
5. Can the Chairman of the Covid-19 Oversight Committee, the Secretary to Prime Minister provide the data and information on these unaccounted for [it seems] positive cases.
6. What facilities have been set up for them to go to for continuous monitoring.
7. What plan and assistance given to Provinces?
8. Why is it that other provincial centres not getting the livelihoods support such as Choiseul, Makira etc.

Transparency Solomon Islands is aware that the Ontong Java settlement was on Lockdown from 19^th January to 10^th February 2022.  During that time the community was swabbed on 22^nd and 23^rd January.  From the media they learned that there are 28 positive cases. To date there has been no further tests.  If the Ministry of Health and Medical Services is unable to even monitor this settlement close to them which could have given them good reliable data being a closed community, how much more for the 4,904 mingling around us being source of infection.

Transparency Solomon Islands is also aware that people struggle to get the medical staff to go and test their loved ones.  Failing that they sought assistant from private clinics. Now the Covid-19 Oversight Committee is targeting these health providers making it much more difficult for those who are desperate for help to get help. In Australia we learn from the news, the RATS test is being sold in major shopping outlets for anyone to buy, and people with money should be allowed to bring these in for their own use or pharmacists be given tax exemption to bring them in.  All we see here is protection of power and not getting go where that is warranted and working out a way to collect data to help with planning for today and future.

With the restrictions in place and their knowledge of hospital care, many choose to look after their sick with the symptoms the best that they can.  Some of the old people require constant attention and three to four people to move them and care for them.  So, until such time as systematic and systemic collected data is analyzed and an understanding of how people have responded given the unpreparedness of Covid-19 Oversight Committee, it is wrong for the Secretary to Prime Minister to say that there is a reversal and that this is due to Oversight Committee having a plan.  It is very irresponsible of him to utter those words just to defend his failure without any analysis of the risks of such announcements.  There are still many people refusing to be vaccinated, public officers losing their jobs for no jabs, just far too many conflicting decisions and information.  Transparency Solomon Islands urges the Prime Minister to remove the Secretary to Prime Minister, Dr. Jimmy Rogers from involvement in Covid – 19 Oversight Committee.  He has done so much damage to the credibility, reputation, image of the DCGA government. He should go back to handling the Prime Minister’s schedule, which is the role of this post in the public service.

What plan is he talking about, the people of Ontong Java just recently got food, the people of Choiseul is the same and the list goes on. The vaccination infection by 91% in those that took it, but a small % still get it.  Those who get the jab are likely to be infected still but the symptoms are mild, and the risk of them transmitting it is also low.  It does not stop infection.  These are the kinds of information that people need to make their decision.

Lastly but more importantly Transparency Solomon Islands urges the Prime Minister to terminate the Secretary of Prime Minister from Covid-19 Oversight Committee and better still review its work and terminate the committee for they have failed the country.  Give the responsibility for the Health Crisis to the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, and the Economic Recovery part to those who know what they are doing.  Dr. Jimmy Rogers announcement is very irresponsible and is for the wrong reason and not for the good of this country and nor has he given the verifiable data to support his claim.

– Transparency Solomon Islands