When Gov. Tate Reeves announced that he had formed an advisory committee to make plans for the state’s economic recovery, he noted the geographic diversity of 17-member group, which includes members from all over the state, including the Golden Triangle.
The executive team of the group, called Restart Mississippi, is comprised of five white men, all political allies of the Governor and all wealthy businessmen. The committee is chaired by Sanderson Farms CEO and Chairman of the Board Joe Sanderson.
While it makes perfect sense to include the business community in helping create a strategy for recovery — including when and how that recovery takes place — we are dismayed by several aspects of the committee.
There are no medical experts on the committee nor is there anyone who represents the voice of the average wage-earner, the group that will assume most of whatever health risks are involved in returning to work even as the COVID-19 virus continues to spread.
Similarly, there is little representation of the state’s black population. Columbus businessman Jabari Edwards is one of two African Americans on the committee. African Americans are disproportionately affected by COVID-19, with much higher rates of infection and death than are seen in white populations.
When asked why no working people were included on the committee, Reeves flippantly said, “We don’t need union bosses to tell us how to take care of our people.”
That response strongly suggests that Reeves has no real interest in allowing workers to have any say in how the state will use an estimated $1.25 billion in federal funds appropriated by Congress to aid in the state’s economic recovery.
The absence of medical experts on the committee is even more alarming. There are no infectious disease experts; there are no nurses; there aren’t even any hospital administrators on the committee. It ignores the fact that COVID-19 is, first and foremost, a public health issue. It is inconceivable that there will be not a single voice who could be expected to balance any inevitable conflict between business and health concerns.
COVID-19 has dramatically affected nearly every aspect of life in our state, and the expertise from multiple perspectives is imperative to restarting the economy in a responsible and effective way.
The Restart Mississippi committee represents a very small group of Mississippians.
It is not an honest effort to serve the people of the state and all the diverse needs and concerns they represented.
It’s all business and — apparently — none of our business.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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