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New case linked to Melbourne quarantine hotel cluster

Today's new local case of COVID-19 in Victoria is a friend of one of the Holiday Inn quarantine hotel workers – the 14th case linked to the cluster.

Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews provided the update during a media conference on day one of a five-day snap lockdown.

The new case's family and household contacts are now also being tested, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed today.

READ MORE: One new case of community transmission in Victoria

https://twitter.com/VicGovDH/status/1360350274787901440

"In terms of the Holiday Inn more broadly, as of last night, we've identified 996 known primary close contacts related to that particular facility and the people who work in it," Mr Andrews said.

Most Brunetti Cafe staff test negative

Eleven of 12 staff at Brunetti Cafe at Melbourne Airport have tested negative to the virus.

An infectious employee worked there for eight hours, sparking a widespread warning for Terminal 4 at the airport.

"That is very significant," Mr Andrews said.

https://twitter.com/9NewsAUS/status/1360407352730505217

"They were at the highest risk of exposure given their proximity to the affected coworker.

"It doesn't mean all the challenges in association with that business, their customers and the terminal for issues are over, far from it but its positive news, you prefer to be getting negative results and positive."

More exposure sites revealed

A number of new exposure sites have been revealed, Victoria's testing commander Jeroen Weimar has confirmed.

Among the new locations is a "private dining venue" at 426 Sydney Road, Coburg.

Others are listed below:

  • Coates Hire Werribee, Hoppers Crossing
  • Caltex Woolworths, Hoppers Crossing
  • Craigieburn train line
  • 513 Eltham to Glenroy bus route
  • 901 Frankston to Melbourne Airport bus route
  • Brunetti: Terminal 4, Melbourne Airport
  • Terminal 4, Melbourne Airport

PM agrees to suspend international flights into Melbourne

The Prime Minister has agreed to suspend flights into Melbourne for the next five days after a request from the Victorian Premier.

"It's not instantaneous because flights are already in the air, and people are well and truly on their way to coming home," Mr Andrews said.

"They may be in transit, they may be in Singapore or another place, all those issues.

"There will be five more flights arrive. We think there is about 100 passengers on those."

Mr Andrews said any returning Australians "will be taken care of", but there will be no more international flights landing in Melbourne until at least Thursday.

Victoria 'circuit breaker' lockdown begins

Mr Andrews announced a "circuit breaker" lockdown yesterday to stop the spread of the deadly UK variant of coronavirus believed to be much more virulent.

The announcement came after the Holiday Inn cluster in Melbourne grew to 13 and Terminal 4 (Jetstar) at the airport was announced as an exposure site.

The entire state of Victoria was plunged back to Stage Four restrictions at midnight, and can only leave their house for four reasons.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Victoria's five-day lockdown

These are: shopping for necessary goods and services, essential work or education if it cannot be done from home, care and caregiving, and exercise for two hours per day with household members, an intimate partner or one other person only.

A five-kilometre travel radius has also been reinstated and masks must be worn everywhere in public. The Australian Open will continue without fans.

People in quarantine moved after leak

Victoria's Hotel Quarantine boss, Emma Cassar, said some people in quarantine at the Holiday Inn Flinders Lane in Melbourne had been moved after an "incident" involving the fire system.

She said there had been a leak or a burst pipe which had leaked into an unoccupied room and then into a staff area.

She said some residents are being moved to higher floors.

Police Minister in Hospital

Victoria's Police minister, Lisa Neville, is in hospital with "complications associated with a previously diagnosed medical condition."

Ms Neville, who is the minister in charge of hotel quarantine, said this afternoon in a statement she'll be off work until February 22.

She handed her duties over to other MPs.

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Trump Trial: Only Verdict Left to Decide

Republican senators are facing a historic choice after both sides in the impeachment trial of former President Trump rested their case Friday.

No-one expects the number of Republicans who defy Trump to reach the total required for conviction — 17, assuming all Democrats vote the same way. But the final vote, expected Saturday or Sunday at the latest, will be a key test of the mood in a divided party.

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) became the only senator ever to vote to convict a president of his own party at the climax of Trump’s first impeachment trial, a year ago. If Romney votes to convict again this weekend, he might have more company.

Four GOP senators joined Romney late last month in asserting that Trump’s trial was constitutional. They are Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Ben Sasse (Neb.) and Pat Toomey (Pa.). A similar vote earlier this week saw their ranks expand by one, when Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) joined them.

If even five or six GOP senators decide that Trump ought to be convicted, it would be the most bipartisan vote of its kind in American history — even as it would be well short of the super-majority required to produce an actual conviction.

GOP strategist Alex Conant, a former adviser to Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), said he believed such an outcome would say “that there are a significant number of Republicans who were repulsed by Trump’s actions after the election and want to hold him accountable. Now, it is not a majority of Republicans by any means…but it suggests there are a significant number of Republicans who are uncomfortable with Trump moving forward.”

Such a vote would underline the deep fissures in a party that is still trying to grapple with the legacy of the 45th president — and with his magnetic hold on the party’s grassroots activists.

In recent weeks, battles over the House leadership position of Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and the committee assignments of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (R-Ga.) have been, in effect, proxy wars about Trump. Cheney voted to impeach the former president in the House, while Green is a fervent Trump supporter.

The outcome, internally, was a split decision: Cheney held onto her leadership post but Green was only stripped of her committee posts after a full vote of the House. Only 11 Republican House members voted against Green, a conspiracy theorist who has encouraged violence against political opponents.

Now, Republican senators are in the position of having to declare their hand about a former president who lost the White House, is widely believed to have contributed to the loss of the Senate, stands accused of inciting a riot that placed their lives in danger — and yet remains formidably popular with the GOP base.

An Economist/YouGov poll conducted Feb. 6-9 indicated 87 percent of Republican voters believe Trump should not be convicted, even as the overall electorate favors that outcome by a modest plurality, 47 percent to 42 percent.

The same proportion of Republicans, 87 percent, said they had a favorable view of Trump overall. Among the general public, that figure was just 39 percent.

In light of polls like that that, it’s notable that of the six GOP senators who affirmed the constitutionality of the trial earlier this week, Toomey is retiring at the next election; Cassidy, Collins and Sasse have just been reelected and therefore have six years until they face voters again; and the other two, Murkowski and Romney, have long shown an independent streak where Trump is concerned.

It is not even a sure thing that all six will vote to convict. Cassidy was spotted carrying notes on Friday that appeared to rationalize a vote to acquit Trump, though his office insisted that he is keeping an open mind.

Republicans who are inclined to back Trump got something to buttress their case Friday when the president’s legal team presented their defense. It centered on quoting Democratic politicians who had also made inflammatory remarks, and on insisting that Trump was not directly responsible for the ransacking of the Capitol on Jan. 6.

But the relatively brief defense came after three days of emotive testimony from Democratic impeachment managers.

Previously unseen footage of the riots was particularly powerful, as senators watched some of their colleagues, including Romney and Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), having near-misses with the mob.

It is clear the GOP will not make a definitive break with Trump, even though their position poses perils for the party with the broader electorate.

In the initial aftermath of the insurrection, it appeared such a break could happen, as then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and even stauncher Trump allies such as Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), were critical of the then-president.

Any momentum for that cause has dissipated markedly since then.

For Republicans skeptical of Trump, their best hope now is that the former president will gradually fade from the scene.

“He is likely finished as a candidate, but he remains a significant force in the Republican Party,” said Ryan Williams, a former Romney aide. “What remains to be seen is whether he can maintain his influence or if other figures emerge to fill the void.”

Williams added, “I think Republicans want to move beyond this and look toward the future — a future that focuses on leaders other than Trump.”

This weekend’s vote will show just how firmly the GOP is willing — or unwilling — to close the book on Trump.

The Memo is a reported column by Niall Stanage.

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National Assembly will meet Thursday Feb. 18 at 10 a.m.

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — Notice has been given for the first sitting of the National Assembly for the year to be held at the National Assembly Chambers, Government Headquarters, Basseterre, on Thursday February 18, at 10:00 a.m. The Order Paper and other papers will be disseminated later.

The National Assembly will be carried live on ZIZ Radio (96 FM) and participating radio stations. It can also be viewed live on TV Channel 5 in St. Kitts and Channel 98 in Nevis. It will also be streamed live at www.zizonline.com.

Copies of Bills can be found on the website www.sknis.kn of St. Kitts and Nevis Information Service under the section: Bills.

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H.E. Sir Tapley accredits nine ambassadors at Government House

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — Virtual accreditation ceremonies for nine ambassadors accredited to the Federation by their countries were held on February 10 and 11 His Excellency by Sir S.W. Tapley Seaton, GCMG, CVO, QC, JP, LL.D, at Government House.

On Wednesday the countries and their respective Ambassadors were:
The Republic of Turkey, Ambassador Her Excellency Yesim Kebapcioglu; The Federal Republic of Germany, Ambassador Her Excellency Ute Konig; The Kingdom of the Netherlands, Ambassador His Excellency Sandor Marnix Raphael Varga van Kibed en Makfalva; The Czech Republic, Ambassador Her Excellency Katefina Lukesova; and The Republic of France, Ambassador His Excellency Jacques-Henry Heuls.

On Thursday four Countries participated: The Portuguese Republic, Ambassador His Excellency Carlos Nuno Almeida de Sousa Amaro; The Federal Republic of Ethiopia, His Excellency Shibru Mama Kedida; The Kingdom of Belgium, Ambassador His Excellency Hugo Verbist; and The European Union, Ambassador Her Excellency Malgorzata Wasilewska;

In all instances, the Governor-General engaged the ambassadors in discussions of mutual interest and solicited assistance in further provision of scholarships and other educational assistance.

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Premier Brantley, Nevis CIC officials discuss partnership, economic recovery

Executive Members of the Nevis Chapter of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce with Nevis Island Administration officials. Left to right, Lester Blackett; Colin Dore, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance; Denrick Liburd; Daniel Arthurton; Mrs. Sunita Persaud-Browne; Steve Tyson, chairman of the Nevis Chapter of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce; Hon. Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis and Minister of Finance and Economic Planning in the Nevis Island Administration; Oscar Walters; and Ernie France.

CHARLESTOWN, Nevis — Hon. Mark Brantley Premier of Nevis met recently with Steve Tyson, the new chairman of the Nevis Chapter of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (CIC), to discuss how the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) and the private sector can partner to advance the economic recovery on the island.

Brantley, NIA Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, along with Colin Dore, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, met on February 9, with Tyson and other Chamber officials.
Continue reading Premier Brantley, Nevis CIC officials discuss partnership, economic recovery →

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February 8 Post-Cabinet Briefing

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — The Team Unity Cabinet of Ministers met on Monday, February 08, 2021, at the Ministry of Finance Conference Room, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris. Several issues affecting the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis were deliberated on.

• The National COVID-19 Task Force, including the Permanent Secretaries of National Security, Health and Foreign Affairs, came to the Cabinet and gave a comprehensive report on the challenges and successes of the Federation in managing the COVID-19 pandemic especially since the reopening of the borders almost four months ago.

• The Chief Medical Officer gave the usual statistics and filled in the Cabinet that of the 40 confirmed COVID-19 positive cases recorded so far, 38 were fully recovered and the other two active cases were in stable condition. She gave an overview of the interaction between hotel managers who have been managing COVID-19 quarantine sites, and that the sites thus far have been functioning satisfactorily. She also informed that at the JNF General Hospital Laboratory the molecular machine was up and running and that the Alexandra Hospital in Nevis is in the process of securing their own molecular machine. She also reported on the breach at the hotel and was satisfied that all staff who interacted with the COVID-19 positive guest were in quarantine. She explained the way forward for immunization in order to achieve herd immunity and explained the threshold needed to achieve this result. The Cabinet was advised that the public education campaign in relation to the vaccine was being rolled out, and now that more labs are coming into operation testing can now be done more expeditiously. The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health also reported that the Cuban Brigade is likely to be here for another three months to support our health professionals at this critical time.

• The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of St. Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority (SCASPA) gave statistics over a comparative period spanning January 2019 to January 2021 where the expected decreases were highlighted. Additionally, he reported that the backlog of cargo at the port has been cleared and that SCASPA was looking at what needs to be done in order to achieve the seamless handling of both cargo and passengers in the future.

• The ICT (Information and Communication Technology) technician walked the Cabinet through the process for entering and departing the Federation. The Chief Immigration Officer shared the statistics of incoming and departing passengers over the period and so far, there were no major challenges experienced with immigration.

• The Acting Comptroller of Customs informed the Cabinet that the Customs Department will be working more closely with ICT to facilitate the online clearing of goods.

• The CEO of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority shared that the average passenger load was down considerably, however over 4000 persons had been trained to function during the COVID-19 pandemic and she suggested that the yachting sector may be able to pick up the slack if a bubble on the South-East Peninsula could be created to accommodate yachtsmen.

• The Head of the Compliance Task Force gave an overview of the functions and hoped for a more robust enforcement programme.

• The Chief of Police stated that law enforcement officers have been assisting all the other government agencies in the fight against COVID-19 and would continue to do so. Also, he reported that major crimes are still down, but that petty larceny is still a concern.

• The Commander of St. Kitts and Nevis Defence Force (SKNDF) spoke to the support given to the Compliance Team by the Coast Guard and other soldiers.

• The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs contributed that the involvement of her ministry with the Task Force is a necessary conduit for sharing travel advisories promptly with their partners regionally and internationally.

• The Director of the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) updated the Cabinet on the new properties which were being visited in an effort to get more hotel rooms available for both quarantine and vacation in place.

• The Medical Officer in Nevis shared her experiences and issues relating to the cooperation on COVID-19 related matters in terms of protocols and procedures between the two islands.

• At the end of the presentations from all the technicians, Cabinet considered submissions which would redound to economic stimulation within the Federation.

• The Attorney General reported on the upcoming peer review for the Federation and gave the different dates for the visiting team’s meeting with stakeholders.

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Initial COVID-19 vaccine doses to cover 20 percent of Federation’s population

Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Hazel Laws.

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — The initial procurement of 21, 600 doses of the COVID-19 Vaccine, will provide coverage for 20 percent of the national population, according to St. Kitts and Nevis’ Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Hazel Laws.

“The doses are the product of AstraZeneca and Oxford University vaccines,” said Dr. Laws, during the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) COVID-19 Press Briefing on February 10.
Continue reading Initial COVID-19 vaccine doses to cover 20 percent of Federation’s population →