Anti-vaccination and the economy

EDITOR: In every rum shop or street corner the issue of vaccination is dominating the public discourse, mainly from the stand point of taking or not taking the vaccine.

However, the negative impact on the economy if we don’t achieve higher levels of vaccination is not part of that discussion.

Sadly, in this age of disinformation, fake news and alternative facts, the non- medical graduates from the universities of google and other social media sites are crowding out the medical experts who have spent years studying at some of the most prestigious universities in the world.

I am certain that no sane trade union leader truly believes that this government will be able to pay salaries and meet this country’s financial commitment if there is no direct investment and no tourism industry.

If the objective of a trio of public sector union officials is to tank the economy to bring about a change of government by encouraging workers not to take the vaccine, then public sector workers have to critically examine what could possible happen if the economy collapses.

The country will then have no other alternative but to go to the International Monetary Fund for assistance which will result in structural adjustment.

Based on my own experience as a trade union negotiator for the Teacher’s Union with both the NDP and ULP Governments I am of the opinion that workers will be impacted in the following ways: 1. Downsizing of the Public Service.

2. Eliminating of the government pension .

3. Freezing of new employment in the public sector.

4. Elimination of teacher’s long leave.

5. Reduction in the number of persons on the Public Assistance program.

6. Massive retrenchment in the number of daily paid workers.

7. Reduction in the number of Social Welfare Programs that assist the poor and vulnerable.

8. Retrenchment of public sector workers could lead to bank/home foreclosures.

9. Reduction in university and tuition support for students.

10. Non- payment of pension to retired public servants.

11. Wage freeze and removal of increments.

I just want the skeptics to look at the conditions that were imposed on Italy by the European Union, IMF and the World Bank.

Denniston Douglas