The Democratic Labour Party understands and appreciates the desire to keep Barbados open for business as long as possible. However, as the virus creeps closer towards this island, we hold the view that the time has passed when the front line workers in national security, as well as passenger agents working for local management companies and all other staff who may have to interact with visitors or clean their waste, are afforded the utmost personal protection and consideration. To date we have been made aware of cases in neigbouring islands where the affected individuals were intransit through Barbados yet none of the local staff working for Government agencies wore protective gear and neither were they tested nor isolated.This is not acceptable!The welfare of Barbadians must be paramount.The government is urged to put people before economics and safeguard all workers at our ports of entry.Verla DePeizaPresidentDemocratic Labour Party2020-03-15