14 Parliamentary staff positive for COVID-19

Fourteen employees of the Parliament Office have tested positive for COVID-19.

Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir at the start of Wednesday’s sitting said over 100 employees were swabbed for the disease and 14 returned positive.

“Of the 14 persons who are positive, [the Clerk of the National Assembly Sherlock Isaacs] is currently making arrangements to ensure that we can look after the good health of our parliamentary staff.”

“Bear with us as the COVID-19 is beginning to take its toll on the staff of the Parliament,” the Speaker said.

The Clerk and the Speaker were the first to be swapped after it was disclosed that Opposition Member of Parliament Christopher Jones tested positive before attending the swearing-in ceremony of Parliamentarians on September 1.

The Speaker’s results came back positive on September 8 following which other members of staff were tested.

The Speaker is presiding over the 2020 budget debate virtually.