TT national in UK: ‘I’m not worried, doing well’

TT national Michael Lewis, 59, who is in the UK, says he isn’t worried as the country begins to relax its lockdown measures, adding that he is doing well and looking forward to returning home.

He told Sunday Newsday he has been living in the UK for approximately 12 years and was planning to return home this year. He initially lived in London but now lives in Manchester and works as a youth support worker and mediator.

He has also been running an online radio station – Radio Iere UK/TT – for the past two years. He hosts a show called Mike the Man Show, which he says is a “family station that’s 75 per cent TT culture-based.”

He said most major stores have started reopening, adding that a lot of people don’t seem to be concerned about the covid19 virus any more.

“When you look at it, a lot of people are travelling, you seeing people still shaking hands, hugging. Sports is coming back, the football is starting back again. Players have to make contact with each other, it’s football yuh playing.

“You’re seeing more people congregating outside – some with masks, some without masks. A lot of people not understanding what’s going on.”

He said while he understands there is no law that makes it mandatory to wear masks, he believes there should be one.

“When you start to talk about fine and charge, bet your bottom dollar people will take it seriously.”

Asked how he has been coping since the pandemic reached the UK, he said he has simply been doing what he has to do.

“Since I’m an essential worker, I had to self-quarantine for two weeks even though I didn’t have any symptoms. It was a criterion. And because I work in a youth institution, it’s even more important to do that because we’re always in contact with young people. Staff rotated and we all did our two weeks.”

He said it wasn’t a mentally challenging time for him because of his radio show. He always had something to keep him occupied.

But he admitted, “It’s even worse when you’re living by yourself, but because of the type of individual that I am, it really didn’t disturb me as much as some people.”

He is originally from D’Abadie and is hoping to finally return in July. His wife, children, and grandchildren are all in TT.

He commended the TT Government on its efforts thus far but urged the public not to “politicise the fight against the virus.”

He said he will continue to comply with the necessary public health regulations.