KINGSTON, Jamaica – Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton is being blasted by several Jamaicans for plans to bar unvaccinated Jamaicans from attending several upcoming public events.

Speaking last Wednesday at the official opening of the new field hospital at the Savanna-la-Mar Public Hospital in Westmoreland, Tufton revealed the government’s plan to favour those citizens who opted to get inoculated against COVID-19.

“Over the next week or so, the Government, that is, and Cabinet, has decided… to announce a series of events, an events calendar if you will, over the next four months, that will now allow more persons to congregate around certain events within a controlled setting. The single most significant criteria of that is that you must be vaccinated,” outlined Tufton.

“… I’ve been saying the time has come for us to distinguish, differentiate and some may even use the term, not a great term, discriminate in favour of those who are vaccinated, because the truth is if you take the time to protect yourself and others do not, then I believe you should enjoy more privileges and rights to certain activities over those who have decided not to do so,” he asserted. 

According to Tufton, the decision “is a controversial position, but it is a position that the Government has endorsed”.

READ MORE: Time to frown upon the unvaccinated, says Tufton

The health minister’s revelations have emanated a firestorm of backlash across social media platforms as some feel that these decisions go against Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ previous rhetoric that the country was moving into a phase of living with COVID-19. 

For Sandals Executive Chairman, Adam Stewart, the government’s plan to discriminate against unvaccinated Jamaicans goes against the country’s motto, ‘Out of Many One People’.

“I just watched a video where the Minister of Health publicly stated he plans to “discriminate” against the overwhelming majority of Jamaican citizens who have made a personal choice. What happened to “Out Of Many One People”?” questioned Stewart in a tweet on Sunday. 

Many agreed with the hotelier. 

“Adam Stewart you have my respect. I am in awe that they are still pushing this narrative when majority of the world is coming to the understanding that this is some[thing] we just have to live with and most people have already made their choice,” tweeted @colorfullsasha.

@nwdeena commented: “Say it louder Adam! Maybe they will hear you since dem clearly not listening to the Jamaican people.”

@jamrock_girl tweeted: “The world is going back to normal while we here restricting people. Makes no sense.”

And at least one member of the political directorate has come out in support of Stewart’s position, albeit on the Opposition side. 

Hugh Graham, People’s National Party (PNP) Member of Parliament for St Catherine North Western, thanked Stewart for his reiteration that Jamaica’s motto remains ‘Out of Many One People’.

“Y’all getting it so wrong,” Graham said in relation to the Government’s impending discrimination policy against unvaccinated citizens. 

“The same people who you plan on discriminating is the same people who voted you in and the same people who will take you out,” wrote Graham in an Instagram post on Sunday.

He added: “Between this and the run away crime that was triggered by the lengthy pointless lockdowns this government prescribed, what did you all think was gonna happen? 

“Make it mek sense!! If you take away man’s livelihood and ability to feed his 5 pickney dem what did you think was going to happen?” questioned Graham. 

“When is elections again? Because me ready fi tek out di trash,” declared the first-time Opposition MP.

Reggae crooner Tanya Stephens also supported Stewart in his tweet that questioned the government’s push for discrimination against Jamaicans.

“If fu-fool was a person inno @adamstewart!!! The man a declare war against 80% of Jamaicans! Hear what nuh Tuffy? Just run some pass and dash weh di vax. Tek onnu commission, nobody nah fi know,” she wrote on Instagram. 

Stephens is a strong advocate against COVID-19 vaccination. 

The government has been mulling several options to boost Jamaica’s vaccination uptake amongst citizens, as the number of inoculated Jamaicans continues to linger well below the 65 per cent target to achieve herd immunity.

Approximately 23 per cent of Jamaicans are fully vaccinated since the rollout of the vaccination programme last March.