By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The director of labour yesterday accused the Opposition of “playing political games” over COVID-19 vaccinations as businesses come under increasing fire for encouraging staff to become inoculated.

John Pinder, who is said be be the FNM’s likely Fox Hill candidate, told Tribune Business he had “not heard any of the hierarchy of the opposition” encourage their supporters and the wider Bahamian public to tax the AstraZeneca vaccine even though it was “the only thing we’ve got” to end the pandemic and restore the Bahamian economy.

“It’s kind of sad some persons are resistant. I believe politics is being played in this,” Mr Pinder asserted. “Politics is being played. Even though some Opposition leaders have taken it, they’re not encouraging their supporters to take it.

“I have not heard of any of the hierarchy of the Opposition make a plea to Bahamians to take it. They’re using it as a political game. It’s sad but it would be good if we were all of the same accord with this. I feel like we’re not of the same accord. I encourage Bahamians to continue to do research on it.

“Nobody has come up with any other idea or suggestion. It’s the only thing we’ve got, and we have to go with it.” Mr Pinder spoke out after Bahamian businesses came under attack for following the lead established by Atlantis in informing staff that after a certain date it will no longer pay for workers who remain unvaccinated to take a weekly COVID-19 rapid antigen test so that they can report to work.

Tribune Business has seen social media messages posted over the weekend threatening to boycott CBS Bahamas (Commonwealth Building Supplies) after it told staff it will cover the rapid antigen test costs for non-vaccinated staff until August 16, after which they will have to cover the $22.40 weekly cost themselves.

Brent Burrows, CBS Bahamas president, could not be reached for comment yesterday despite this newspaper leaving several messages. However, in its staff letter, dated June 18, the company said: “As The Bahamas continues to struggle with the COVID-19 pandemic, we at CBS Bahamas must take the steps necessary to protect both our team members and our customers....

“Effective July 1, any employee that has not received the COVID-19 vaccination will be required to submit to a weekly COVID-19 rapid antigen test. These tests will be administered by Doctor’s Hospital at the Town Centre Mall drive through location and will be paid for by CBS Bahamas.”

The company added that employees who receive their first vaccine jab will no longer be required to take the rapid antigen test some two weeks after that date, but it then said: “Effective August 16, 2021, the above weekly testing will still apply but CBS Bahamas will no longer bear the costs of these tests and employees will be responsible for this cost which at present is $22.40 per week.”

This sparked a negative social media reaction, with one post warning: “Please take notice that effective August 16 we, the Bahamian, will boycott your business if you decide to put in place any policy that will adversely affect our families which is our brothers and sisters..... Hopefully you would rethink this latest policy before you try to implement it.”

The response further illustrates the hesitancy and resistance among many Bahamians to taking the COVID-19 vaccine. However, Mr Pinder and Peter Goudie, the Chamber of Commerce’s labour relations specialist, both said businesses were trying to incentivise staff to become inoculated will also complying with the Occupational Health and Safety at Work Act’s requirements to provide a healthy and safe environment for workers and customers.

Mr Goudie added that the annual cost of taking a rapid antigen test would exceed over $1,000.