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Lusa - Business News - Sao Tome: Opposition accuses government of losing control over coronavirus
Sao Tome, Feb.25,2021 (Lusa) - Independent Democratic Action (ADI), the main opposition party in Sao Tome, said that the situation of Covid-19 in the country is deteriorating, and accused the government of completely losing control over the virus. In a press conference on Wednesday, ADI said that the government increased by 100% the costs of PCR tests, from 500 to 1,000 dobras (from €20 to €40), considering the decision as a way of discouraging those who have little income to do the tests. The executive, in a statement, justified the increase in fees on Covid-19 tests with the high cost of reagents, and that the increase does not cover patients and scholarship students, but exclusively travellers. "PCR tests have a great influence in determining Covid-19 and are vitally important in controlling the pandemic," said Garet Guadalupe, ADI spokesperson. Regarding the increasing number of deaths from Covid-19, the ADI warned that the 27 deaths recorded may not seem like a very large number. "But if we make a comparison with the countries of Africa, we see that Sao Tome and Principe is the eighth country with the most deaths per 100,000 inhabitants," he said. Guadalupe took the opportunity to lament the glaring social problems that the population of Príncipe is experiencing. He accused the executive of Prime Minister Jorge Bom Jesus of not having resolved the problems of maritime links between the two islands since the sinking of the ship "Amfitriti" in late April 2019, and because of this, the cost of living of the population is becoming more and more expensive. Due to the lack of transport, the island of Príncipe is confronted in recent days with problems of fuel shortages that are aggravating the lives of local citizens. On the black market, according to ADI, the price of petrol has soared from 30 to 100 dobras (€4) a litre. The population is outraged with the situation of penury on the island, and in a letter sent to the president of the regional government, Filipe Nascimento, threatened to take to the streets within a week to demand an improvement in the cost of living. The letter was delivered to the president of the regional government so that, through him, the concerns reach the centre of power in Sao Tome. The only reason they are not doing so in person, according to the signatories, is that the high cost of the airfare does not allow them to travel to the country's capital. In the letter, the population collects promises made by the executive of Jorge Bom Jesus at the time of the sinking of the "Amfitriti" ship. At the time, the central government promised to acquire a vessel with the necessary conditions to guarantee permanent, affordable and safe connections for people and goods between the two islands. Sao Tome and Principe has registered 17 deaths and 1,672 people infected by the new coronavirus. MYB/IMYN // AYLS Lusa Agency : LUSA Date : 2021-02-26 10:18:00
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