At least 300 Santa Rosa residents yesterday defied lockdown rules to protest the measures that have been instituted to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
A recent surge in COVID-19 cases prompted the government to impose stringent lockdown measures on the Moruca Sub-District in Barima-Waini (Region One) and Aranka in Cuyuni-Mazaruni (Region Seven). The Santa Rosa Village Council (SRVC) has also taken the initiative to impose additional measures on the community to ensure that COVID-19 cases does not increase.
However, many persons living in Santa Rosa do not agree with some of the measures imposed by the village council and the Public Health Ministry. As a result, an estimated 300 persons showed up at the Kumaka waterfront in Santa Rosa to ensure that their concerns were heard.
A few protesters told Stabroek News that most people are protesting against the way the ministry and other relevant authorities have been handling the situation at Moruca. With the new measures in place, many cannot leave their homes to ply their trade or go to their farms. As a result, the lockdown will have a severe impact on families. They say that the decision to protest was not an easy one but their voices needed to be heard. They were wearing masks and trying to keep their distance from each other during the protest.
Another protester, a boat operator, told Stabroek News via telephone yesterday that he was protesting because he was not allowed to leave the community to collect food supplies from Charity. He stated that a number of persons told him that they do not have food supplies and as result he decided to assist them but was turned back at the mouth of the Moruca River even though cargo boats are allowed to leave the area.
A farmer stated that he was told that he needs a special armband in order to go to the farm and if he does not have that band, he will be arrested. He explained that farming is his only means of getting food supplies and now that he is not allowed to go to the farm he is unsure where he will get food to feed his family. A vendor who was among the protestors added, “I’m a small business person and I have a family to feed and now I can only sell my greens for three hours a day. This is not enough because there is no one out here during those hours. The national curfew is good enough, we were doing well with that and were abiding by the rules….”
In addition, some are claiming that there aren’t any proper measures in place to assist children whose parents are in isolation due to them contracting COVID-19. According to one of the residents, two children, ages 10 and 13 years, have been left alone to fend for themselves after their parents were placed in isolation. He said those children have not received any assistance nor is anybody supervising them.
Toshao Whanita Phillips told Stabroek News that she heard about the protest around 10 am yesterday morning after a police officer stationed at the Aquero Police Station called and told her that protesters gathered at the waterfront were asking to speak to her.
Phillips said that she did not address the protesters directly but asked that the person in charge meet her at the village office to relate the concerns of the protestors. She said that she met with the person and he told her that many residents disagree with shops opening for only three hours and the farmers needing permission from the ministry to go to their farmlands. Additionally, she said, the representative raised the issue of food security, saying that persons need to continue their trade to avoid starving. She added that persons are also saying that now that the government has imposed the lockdown, they should make relief available for those families affected.
She added that while many were concerned about the food issue, there were also a few persons at the protest saying that COVID-19 is not real.
“Even though they were protesting and a few were saying that it is not real I was happy to see that they were wearing masks and some of them were keeping their distance but not all but I do not think the protest was called for because I could’ve easily answered the questions they were asking and as it relates to those related to the Ministry, the Regional Health Official could’ve answered those,” she said.
Phillips added that the protesters dispersed after the representative had spoken to her.
A statement issued by the SRVC accused a senior member of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) of staging the protest with the permission of the Regional Commander Wendell Blanhum.
However, according to a statement issued by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Public Relations Officer, Jairam Ramlakhan no permission was granted for the protest that was staged.
“The Commander Superintendent Wendell Blanhum spoke directly to one of the alleged organisers and informed her that no permission could be granted in light of the COVID-19 restrictions that are currently in force,” the statement explained.
Additionally, it was stated that despite the fact that permission was not granted, the organiser along with a group of persons assembled at the Kumaka Waterfront at approximately 9 am yesterday with their placards.
The statement noted that when ranks stationed at the Aquero Police Station were informed of the situation, they immediately informed the protesters that permission was not granted for them to engage in such activity and that they were in breach of the COVID-19 guidelines. After the protesters were warned, the statement further noted, they indicated that they wanted to speak with the Toshao and after they did so, they immediately dispersed.
Systems for the vulnerable needed
Meanwhile, the Deputy Regional Chairman Sarah Browne, who is one of the persons accused of staging the protest, denied the allegation. Browne told Stabroek News that she was on the scene to listen to what the people had to say and stated that from what she gathered, the protest was organised by vendors, farmers and persons who claim to be severely affected by the lockdown.
“I was on scene this morning and listening to the concerns what people had and basically the people were trying to let people know that the lockdown is severely affecting them because now farmers can’t access their farms freely. They are being told that they can only go to their farms three times a week and they also have to get a pass from the Department of Health for them to access their farmlands,” she said.
Additionally, she noted that she was told that cargo boats are not being allowed to leave the area to get food supplies from Charity even though the guidelines by the ministry stated that cargo boats are allowed.
“Persons have been in lockdown since May and they haven’t been getting any relief so this new lockdown is getting to the people because many cannot afford food stuff and there are some relief for the villages but that is not enough and that is another concern. Some people are asking for the village restrictions to be lifted now that government has intervened. There were also people there raising concerns about the testing protocols and the timely results delivering for tests. I support the people because I would’ve been there listening to them and I would want their concerns to be heard and to be addressed. I support the lockdown but there needs to be systems in place for the vulnerable,” Browne stated.
The Amerindian People’s Association (APA) along with the informal Santa Rosa Family and Friends group have been assisting persons in the area affected by the coronavirus pandemic with food supplies. However, considering that Santa Rosa is home to at least 10,000 persons, many persons are still affected. Santa Rosa Family and Friends has stated that priority would be given to families in quarantine or isolation. The Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs has also donated a number of hampers to the Civil Defence Council (CDC) for residents of Santa Rosa. According to the Toshao, those hampers were also distributed to families in quarantine or isolation.
To date Region One has recorded at least 81 cases of COVID-19
Santa Rosa Village is considered a hotspot for COVID-19 in the country. Among the persons infected are seven children, who are between four and 17 and all of whom are in isolation. Thus far, only two persons have recovered from the disease.
Region one has also recorded one death attributed to the disease. Fifty-nine year-old Vincent Torres died in May after he was admitted to the Kumaka District Hospital with signs and symptoms of the disease. He died while receiving treatment. Subsequent to his death, several health officials tested positive for the disease. Numerous teachers are among those in isolation.
