The COVID-19 Task Force of Region Nine is very concerned with residents’ lax attitude to the coronavirus disease pandemic.
Toshaos are reporting that foreigners are being smuggled into the Marudi mining area and families in multiple indigenous communities are encouraging their relatives to return from Brazil illegally, thus increasing the risk of widespread COVID-19 infection within the Rupununi region.
In light of these reports, the Regional Executive Officer Carl Parker says a number of drastic measures will be drafted and sent to the National COVID-19 Task Force (NTCF) for approval considering that many persons are refusing to adhere to the guidelines that were established by the Toshaos and the Ministry of Public Health to contain the spread of the virus.