Health Minister removes mask for public address | Premier stops reporter from doing same in Q&A
During a conference with members of the media on Tuesday, May 12, Health Minister Carvin Malone was the only official present who opted to remove his mask at some point in the proceedings. Health Minister Carvin Malone removed his mask to address a roomful of journalists on Tuesday, May 12. Premier Andrew Fahie CEO of the BVI Health Services Authority, Dr Ronald Georges. Chief Medical Officer Dr Irad Potter
Despite implementing a mandatory policy requiring all residents to wear protective face masks at all times when in public, Health Minister Carvin Malone opted not to wear one while addressing a roomful of media personnel on Tuesday.
The minister was observed wearing a mask up to the point of approaching the podium to speak but proceeded to take it off to deliver his address, which lasted just under 20 minutes.
“Good afternoon everyone,” Malone began. “If you don’t mind, I will shift my mask. I see the Permanent Secretary looking at me with eyes,” he said lightheartedly.
Throughout Malone’s presentation, Premier Andrew Fahie — who was standing a few feet away on the same platform — did not give any visible cues for the minister to keep the mask on.
However, a reporter who later attempted to shift his mask to ask questions was swiftly corrected by the Premier.
“You put back on your mask, firstly. Thank you. You leave that mask on—good,” the Premier said while addressing the reporter representing BVI News.
Notably, when the question-and-answer segment of the press conference began, Minister Malone had already returned to wearing his mask. He did not remove it to respond to questions or for the remainder of the event.
And except for one other reporter who momentarily shifted their mask to ask a question, all other persons in the room including Chief Medical Officer Dr Irad Potter, CEO of the BVI Health Services Authority Dr Ronald Georges, the Premier, and members of the media kept their masks on throughout the entire conference.
Premier strict with mask wearing policy
Since enacting the various COVID-19 preventative policies to help combat any potential spread of the virus locally, the Fahie administration has been strict with the wearing of masks in public.
In a previous address on what he termed as ‘the new regular’ in the BVI, Premier Fahie instructed businesses not serve any customer or client who does not wear a mask.
“No mask, no service,” the Premier insisted at the time.
He has further instructed residents to wear a mask even when commuting in their private vehicle if other persons are travelling with them.
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The VIP itself….a dictator ship
the best bvi premier you ever have
Wake up people, it’s a PYSOP a complete scam…
H Lavity Stoutt
They run things so….they do what they want
I can’t fault the media for this…not just the Health Minister but other reporters had the mask below their nose and mouth too…the Health Minister should not have removed his mark…the Premier set the example and talked with his mask…yet every time Carvin go to the podium he would remove his mask…and they say COVID-19 lingers in the air…the media take win on this one…
Were they 6ft apart? It’s not everyone can breathe properly or even speak wearing a mask for a period of time. It’s not always Monkey see Monkey Do. The Minister may have Health Issues in relation to wearing mask. What was the Reporter’s Issue?
Health issues? So put yourself at greater risk and others at risk because of “health issues”.
Why people does defend foolishness
You speaking like an insider…the Reporter MAY have health issues tooo…please go and siddung.
The Government is the one imposing the covid guidelines so if its their room and they can’t get 6 ft apart…whose fault is that again??????????
But you dont no if the reporter have a issue.if he did nobody no they say ware mask ware it easy
It look like Carvin playing Trump now
I think the media is being bias, cause i have watched press conference via FB and saw the Governor removed his mask before speaking and it wasn’t in the news. what goes for one goes for all.
@ hmmmThat was before it was made mandatory to wear masks.
This is HILARIOUS. Hope he don’t catch the ‘rona messing with A—–‘s slack a–.
Fahie thinks he was funny but he wasnt
Hon Carvin Malone, AtL, Deputy Premier, MHSD, set the personal example. Setting the personal example is important, for if you don’t follow policy, you are in essence saying do as I say, not as I do. One ah s…t often wipes out a 1000 — b– but I’m confident this was an inadvertent slip up. Nuff said. Let’s get on with good job that you are doing protecting the territory so far. Managing this pandemic is a long journey. The VI needs a steady hand(s) for the duration.
Don’t you all understand that this is a dictatorship. For years Fahie was calling other people bully. We see who is truly the bully now. This man is running a one man show. The behavior of both the Premier and his Deputy was terrible yesterday. Why call a press conference if you don’t want to answer the questions? why?
You are just a VIP Heckler…your comment is so biased and without merit.
Mal Mal I wear glasses and a mask all the time and have no problems with breathing space or fogging when I speak, we need to stop making escuses for these people folks, Gov’t health team needs to do a better job education said public as to how and why they should be wearing a mask because there is a fairly large segment of folks who does not possess the knowledge.
Nah hes right this premier is a b***y. Never again. I cant stand someone in office behaving the way he does as if the place belongs to him when he is a public servant.
Hon. Malone wears glasses. I’m guessing he took the mask off to prevent it from fogging.
So whoever wears glasses walk around as usual and not wear a mask???!!!!
So whoever wear glasses should be able to access businesses without a mask?????!!!!
Try stop talking p**s!!
As for that mic passing around napkin or not. Next time get a mic stand and let each reporter go up to speak.
There was one reporter who kept touching her mask and pulling it down from her face to speak.
Not everyone is comfortable speaking through a mask for a certain period of time and I’m not making excuses for anyone. Some people just can’t talk through masks. That’s all I’m saying.
Lol that may not have been the case but I can attest to wearing shades in the supermarket and every breath I took they fogged lol I had to take them off.. I haven’t seen the interview but if he was reading tbh it could happen and its annoying.
Well it got one District Rep there posting on Facebook mocking the number of masks being sold. Lead by example and promoting health and safety gone out the window.
Some don’t know wearing a face shield alone does NOT protect you without the mask. Sounding like some real clowns.
They have this for a joke when people around the world are dying.
If people choose to wear their masks everyday even when driving alone to remember it LET THEM BE.
Instead the District Rep should be talking about the set who are not wearing and up in each other face.
Every thing these people making news out of, that make sense? the Health minister was far from people while he was talking. The reporter was in the midst of other people and again the premier cannot see everyone, some things you need to leave alone, some of you need to stop wasting people time with fake news, if the premier did allow the reporter to take off his mask, no one will never know the minister was talking with out his mask. All of you go sit down man and stop making strive in the country where there is none.
Everything people taking making news, that make sense?, when the health minister was talking he was far from people, and when the reporter was talking he was in the midst of people, and again the premier can’t see everything, he rectify what he saw, if the premier did allow the reporter to take off his mask none would ever know the health minister didn’t have on his mask while he was talking, you all need to stop wasting people time with fake news, all the fake news you all putting out, no one is saying nothing about it, and no one suing anyone about it, so you all need to sit down and stop making strife in the country where there is none.
Y’all to harden.Ppl with them mask under them sweaty chin every where you look.All you you hear excuse..me a go dead..me can’t breath… Always want to chat..touch..Jesus.. if you ain’t practice safety..stay from me please…always got to be under you…You want that thing that killing black ppl like flies in UK/States? Carry on.
Stop all this BS about one person not wearing a mask. Today in town there seemed to be hundreds of people NOT wearing masks. Some had their mask down below their chin … guess thats the too cool look . Like so many other rules … if you dont enforce them … you might as well not have them .
Some of you fools need to stop coming here and posting crap. You cannot keep on a mask all the time. Continuous wearing of a mask means that you are breathing in the same same dirty air you just breath out. I see many people standing in line for hours without periodically removing their mask so they can breath in some new air. Do some of you have any clue what continuous breathing in carbon dioxide does to your body. I suggest you all look it up from posting crap.
We are aware of how the mask makes us feel, that is not the issue here. The issue is they are law makers who declared that it was mandatory to wear the masks in public….then they should lead by example.
this whole thing is fake , its a false flag , do your reseach and avoid CNN and fox news