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The Herald
Herald Reporter
There will be no red carpet treatment for returnees from the United Kingdom (UK) who are quarantined at the Belvedere College of Technical Teachers, said Minister of Public Service, Labor and Social Welfare Paul Mavima.
The minister said returnees from the United Kingdom would stay at Belvedere Technical Teachers’ College during the quarantine period.
Professor Mavima’s statement comes after a group of 26 Zimbabweans who returned from the UK this week rejected the mandatory quarantine at Belvedere, citing “poor conditions” and preferred to be checked into a hotel.
According to government officials, returnees knew that everyone coming from the Covid-19 hot spots was required to be quarantined.
The government had a difficult time on Monday trying to negotiate with returnees to accept the mandatory quarantine. Minister Mavhima said the reason for the returnees by posting photos and videos online was to tarnish the country’s image.
Minister Mavima said: “This is the tragedy in Zimbabwe. This is the tragedy that comes with cynicism and the tragedy that comes with self-hatred. You cannot go and get the worst part and publicize it internationally with the fundamental purpose of denigrating your own country, ”he said.
Minister Mavima said that he had instructed the Permanent Secretary of the Public Service, Secretary of Labor and Social Welfare, Mr. Simon Masanga, to provide blankets and mattresses if returnees needed them.
“There has been an inspection by the Ministry of Health and Child Care and they have said that these facilities were ready to accommodate people,” he said.
“We will have to deal with the issue of water. Currently there is water flowing to the shelters. You also need a booster pump and filter to get the water from the well in, ”he said.
Minister Mavhima said that each wing had four showers and can accommodate four or five people.
“The toilets work properly. What we have ordered our people to do is disinfect regularly – maybe two, three times a day, so that we can maintain hygiene and sanitation. These are the interventions that we are doing, but basically this installation is ready and we are satisfied ”.
Professor Mavima said there were no complaints about the food, except for one person who is diabetic.
School principal Juliana Mbofana said returnees were assigned rooms in accordance with instructions from the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
“We have done everything possible to assign rooms to them, dividing them according to the instructions of the ministry.
“Those who tested negative were taken to the Zimbabwe Public Administration Management Institute (ZIPAM) and those who tested positive stayed here, and the Ministry of Health and Child Care is taking care of them. The second batch arrived and they were tested. I think results will come out today (yesterday). “
