GOVERNMENT TRIUMPHS IN ANOTHER VACCINE MANDATE CASE

There has been a second legal victory for the Government regarding its vaccine mandates imposed last year.

The High Court today dismissed an application by seven women who are represented by the Antigua Trades and Labour Union, AT&LU.

The claimants had been seeking leave for judicial review of the Government’s decision to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for public sector employees and other groups on the grounds that it was arbitrary, irrational and disproportionate.

High Court Justice Marissa Robertson ruled they did not satisfactorily prove the arguments in support of their application.

The Government’s legal team was led by Senior Counsel Anthony Astaphan, Joy Dublin, Alicia Aska, Ryan Johnson and Zachary Phillips.

A similar challenge brought by the Antigua and Barbuda Public Service Association was also struck out by the High Court in October of last year.

The High Court ruled at the time that the union had no standing in instituting any proceedings against the government regarding the matter.

The government has argued that its vaccination mandate for the public sector and sections of the private sector has been effective in pushing vaccination rates to the highest among Caricom states.