SPM insists gov’t has a plan, resulting in community transmission reversed in 5 weeks

Secretary to the Prime Minister Dr. Jimmie Rodgers has hit back at critiques of the government that accused them of not preparing for the COVID-19 outbreak by declaring that they reversed the community transmission in five weeks.

Dr. Rodgers who is also the vice-chairman of the Oversight Committee was making the statement in response to those whom he said wanted to lambast them for not preparing for the outbreak.

He denied that saying, “We were prepared.”

The Opposition had attacked the government blaming them for not preparing the country in the past two years for the outbreak. In addition to that, Transparency Solomon Islands had called for the removal of the Oversight Committee because they failed the country.

But Dr. Rodgers told journalists yesterday that no country has actually reversed the trend of community transmission in less than five weeks.

“We did that. We reversed in the period because we have a plan that worked,” Dr. Rodgers said.

SPM was making the statement in regards to Honiara which had the first case of community transmission announced on January 17^th until March 3 (around 5 weeks). Data has shown that Honiara cases are declining but it has increased in the provinces.

Dr. Rodgers said the investment through the Oversight Committee that advised the government, which then imposed that through health “that is the reason we contain this rapid transmission.”

He commended health workers, front-liners and the Oversight Committee and other stakeholders for working hard to save the country.

Dr Rodgers encouraged his colleagues in the Oversight Committee to take heart and continue with what they do.

News@SBMOnline2022