Dear Editor,
I have not written letters to the Press for some time about the Covid-19 pandemic and the failures of the Government to address this deadly virus. The reason for this is that it seemed to be an exercise in futility since all pleas to the Government to impose social restrictions and take measures to curtail the spread of the virus seemed to be to no avail. The government has plowed ahead at full steam with its main concern of opening the country to foreigners for investment and its desire for wealth without any care for the lives and safety of its Guyanese citizens.
It continues to Gazette its laughable curfew which commences at the late hour of 10:30 pm allowing persons to congregate and meet at various places of entertainment to spread the virus among the population. It continues to fail to enforce the “mandatory” mask wearing. It continues to permit places of business, salons and restaurants to be open.
We can expect a huge surge in the number of positive cases of the virus in the aftermath of this holiday season as there were throngs of shoppers in Regent Street and around Georgetown during Christmas many of whom were maskless. There were gatherings from different households and parties. The fact that there are over 160 deaths in Guyana due to this virus seems to have no impact on the Government as they seek to decide to whom the contract should be awarded for the construction of a new Marriott Hotel next to the airport.
This sickening disregard by the Government as to the safety of the Guyanese people during this pandemic has to be condemned. There has to be some realisation that the distribution of t-shirts and flyers and the monetary vouchers do not guarantee the lives of the Guyanese citizenry at this time. There has to be the imposition of strict measures of social restrictions such as closure of places of entertainment and a strictly enforced and early curfew.
Now there is a new variant of the virus which has been proven to be hugely transmissible and has led to the UK imposing strict Tier 4 measures prohibiting mixing of households and gatherings. This new variant of the virus spreads even faster and has led to over 40 countries across the globe to close their borders to flights from the U.K.
Coming closer home, Jamaica and Grenada have closed their borders to the U.K.
Jamaica has announced four cases of the new strain which was found among travelers from the United Kingdom. They have been placed in a state isolation facility. This is an excellent move to have such travelers isolated in a facility unlike in Guyana where persons who test positive upon arrival are sent home with a warning to isolate which they undoubtedly do not heed.
Barbados has been a haven for safety and has been Covid free until a few days ago when prison officers tested positive for the virus. The Prime Minister Mia Motley immediately reacted and addressed it and issued a statement that there will be a strict curfew and no limes or fetes or gatherings.
Such a difference from our leadership who never address the Public on the virus at all. Despite this, the Government of Guyana has taken no steps to stop all flights immediately from Barbados and even to close all flights from the United Kingdom.
The United States has not closed its borders to the UK and has revealed it has 3 confirmed cases of the new variant. Yet we have flights several times a day from the United States to Guyana.
The Government needs to close its borders now to flights or we will be experiencing a spread of this virus like wildfire since the new variant is hugely transmissible. We do not have the resources to deal with such a situation. There was the stark admission to this effect by the Health Minister Anthony on December 30, 2020 that Guyana does not have the capability for testing for the new variant of the virus.
I urge and implore my fellow Guyanese to take every precaution by wearing masks at all times when in public or with persons not within your household, observing social distancing and washing hands often. For those who can remain at home and work from home, please do so. Avoid any gathering of any sort. Keep the children safely at home. Children can be affected as well.
It is up to us the Guyanese people to take steps to protect ourselves and save our lives.
Yours faithfully,
Stephanie Isaacs
