“It is frustrating and unbelievable that the Government has ignored the pleas for help” from Dr. Carika Weldon, Opposition Leader Cole Simons said, adding that “she proactively sounded the alarm, but to no avail.”
This follows after the Cabinet Office confirmed that Dr. Weldon “resigned and given notice of her intention to end her tenure as Science Advisor & Laboratory Director of MDL,” and her last day of work will be January 31, 2022.
Mr Simons said, “It is frustrating and unbelievable that the Government has ignored the pleas for help from Bermuda’s chief scientist Dr. Carika Weldon, who put them on notice that Bermuda’s Covid testing structure was about to collapse.
“She clearly saw the challenges ahead with the increased Christmas travel, returning students coming home for the holiday and tourists choosing to spend their Christmas in Bermuda. She proactively sounded the alarm, but to no avail.
“By ignoring the growing bottleneck and not addressing the mounting pressures that she and her reduced staff face daily, the government has not only compromised the health of the people of Bermuda, they have also destabilized Bermuda’s status as a safe travel destination. What impact will this now have on our already fragile tourism product?
“At the height of the very contagious Omicron virus, where is the government’s contingency plan? What are the next steps for Bermuda?”
Bernews asked the Government for a response and will update as able.
