Tanya Stephens, Foota Hype, I-Octane Still Upset With PM Over COVID-19 Mitigation Measures

Tanya Stephens, Foota Hype and I-Octane have stepped up their crusade against Prime Minister Andrew Holness over his COVID-19 mitigation measures which they have deemed anti-poor.

Their most recent comments came after ZJ Sparks posted a video clip titled “P.M. Holness appeal to Jamaicans” which featured Holness speaking at a forum in which he said he was appealing to persons who were hesitant about taking the vaccine, to take the jab in the public interest as he believed the achievement of ‘herd immunity” was of critical importance.

“The vaccines appear to be very, very safe,” Holness had said.

“For those who hold conspiracy theories, and other concerns, today we seek to appeal to you.   To say there is a public interest that you should pay attention to as well as your own personal interest and seek to balance the two.  And see which is more important, it is in my opinion more important that the country achieves herd immunity,” Holness had added.

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According to the Prime Minister, it was in “in the achievement of herd immunity safely” that his Government would be able to dispense with the current “non-clinical measures” such as the lockdowns, which he said “have had a devastating impact on the  economy and which are also used in many instances as a means to tear the society apart”.

However, Tanya Stephens, a longstanding critic of Holness, had some terse words to say in response to the PM’s remarks.

“Him nah appeal. Him a try soften him tone with the same apathy. Still a talk division and pass blame. Still a blame party and shopkeeper. Still a try override people rights. Not a genuine bone inna him body,” the It’s a Pity artiste declared.

Foota Hype also took exception to this aspect of Holness’ statements, declaring that he was shoving the vaccine down the throats of Jamaicans.

“But him nah talk say vaccinated ppl a dead to so y force it pon di ppl then if it can stop nuttn,” Foota Hype said.

Another of Holness’ harshest critics, disc jockey and event promoter, Amber Crowl, also sought to point out how unnerved she was by Holness’s statements.

“A how we go reach herd immunity of the vaccinated ppl are now hosts of the virus and cam infect unvaxxed/ uninfected citizens @andrewholnessjm??? Explain why even with tighter measures, more vaccinated people, no events and a 3 day total lock down covid cases are higher than ever????? You not making sense at all sir. But we all see through you by now. Well, we who have sense and know seh sumtn devious a gwaan wid you and other governments and the vaccine agenda. #anjubadness,” she rebuked.

Holness also pointed out that whenever the Government has to “impose some form of a lockdown” and restrictions on the right of movement, freedom of movement, freedom of gathering, there has been a “growing pushback in the society against this”.

“And the pushback would come in the form of “the Government doesn’t care about the livelihoods of poor people because we are closing down the parties and closing down the dances and shutting down businesses at a certain hour,” ” Holness had remarked.

“And that conversation is carried right through the society without any form of acknowledgement that some of the very people who we are trying to protect, that they are dying.  And the deaths are not just in a certain segment of the population, older more vulnerable people.  We are now seeing a trend of deaths in the younger segment of the population which is now a cause for even greater concern,” he added.

However IOctane responded to this statement in a broadside against the Prime Minister, and declared, among other things, that he was not afraid of Holness.

“Don’t talk about poor people unless yuh plan fi help dem… more dan a 1000 people dem mi a ask mi fi food but Andrew Holness mi know to God say your house 🏠full a food fi rest of the 3days @andrewholnessjm everybody a talk but afraid fi tag you 👉 I am not 👉 people a suffer under yuh leadership and yuh act like its nothing,” the Mama You Alone artiste said.

DJ Amber was not far behind Octane.  She came at Holness again, demanding that he desist from mentioning the poor or entertainment events.

“@andrewholnessjm this speech screams bull! The science is not backing the vaccine. Do some research and stop mention party or poor people please!!!!!! All a unu operating on a whim, a hope, a glimmer of faith that vaccine is working when truly the science is far removed from any such conclusions at this time,” she stated.

Dancehall artiste Razor B also instructed Holness to follow the example of Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley and pay attention to the complaints that were being made by Jamaicans.

“Why don’t you take a page out of PM of Barbados book @andrewholnessjm and listen to the cry of the poor people who been suffering because they can’t even find food. Where is the compassion in your heart?  Did you know that more persons dead from bullets and we don’t make guns in Jamaica… as a leader you should look at all aspect not just one,” he wrote.

The Bruk fi Mi Back artiste also said he believed it was pointless for the Government to be implementing sporadic three-day lockdowns of the country, as usually on the day leading up to lockdown day one, people are assembling in droves to do grocery shopping, thus putting themselves at risk.

“Locking down the place for 3 days and open up for 4 we will see a spike in cases….that’s just common sense.  People are out and about rushing to get things done before curfew time,” he wrote.

Razor B said that before discussing vaccination, Holness should ensure that those suffering from hunger were fed.  He was willing to contribute $100,000 to feed Jamaicans who are in need of food, and proposed that it be matched by Holness and other wealthy Jamaicans.

“Let’s feed some people get some strength in their body and then discuss the vaccine on a full stomach 🙏🏾. The Jamaicans have been very compliant with the curfews and mask mandate not so much the social distancing… mek we feed the people first that should be our first priority…. Strengthen their immune system,” he wrote.