Despite restrictions due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, many persons living in Region Nine are continuing to travel illegally between Guyana and Brazil, prompting a crackdown by the regional authorities, who are moving to impose penalties for violations.
According to Regional Chairman Bryan Allicock, since travel restrictions were imposed between the two countries the Regional COVID-19 Task Force has had to deal with many cases of illegal border crossing, especially in Lethem. “Numerous times we had to deal with people who were illegally crossing the border and they are saying that they still need to provide food and other things for their family regardless of what is going on,” Allicock told Sunday Stabroek.
While this is understandable, he added, the recent increase in COVID-19 cases within the region has proved that this can no longer be tolerated. He revealed that those who had been caught previously were not penalised for their actions. However, the Regional Task Force has decided that anybody found committing those offences will be charged.
He added that he was saddened by this fact considering that the Regional Task Force has been doing its best to educate persons about the disease and has been pleading on a daily basis on the various radio stations in the region for persons to desist from illegal travel and adhere to all the precautionary measures.
In addition, Allicock revealed, persons who have been residing in Brazil have also been returning to Guyana illegally and are hidden when the Rapid Response Team are made aware of those situations. This, he says, is happening all over the region. “People who were not living here are suddenly popping up all over the region,” he said.
However, Allicock said, when the team is informed of these situations, those persons are brought to the quarantine facility in Lethem.
He stated that while they are encouraging Guyanese who are wishing to return to the country to return legally, the region doesn’t have quarantine facilities to accommodate more than two dozen persons at a time.
The total number of cases in Brazil, the world’s second most affected country after the United States, was 2,074,860 up to last evening, while deaths totaled 78,772.
Allicock added that there is no real solution as it relates to stopping the illegal border crossing but hopes that the penalty for that offence will convince persons to desist. “The border is wide and people are cooperating when they are doing these activities. They will tell persons when and where to come and when they are caught, it’s always ‘We have families to provide for,’” he added,
Meanwhile, according to Allicock, three indigenous communities—Sand Creek Potarnau and Quiko, in the South Central Rupununi, have recorded positive cases of COVID-19. A number of persons, including teachers and students, have been placed in quarantine at Sand Creek as a result of the one COVID-19 case that has been confirmed in the village.
The Regional Executive Officer Carl Parker had revealed that the COVID-19 cases in those communities are all imported from Brazil. There are currently nine patients in isolation.
Allicock also revealed that all the students who were brought from Brazil to write examinations and were in quarantine have tested negative for the disease and have been allowed to leave the quarantine facility.
