The Takutu Bridge will remain closed to all but the transport of essential items while the Government of Guyana and the Roraima State in Brazil discuss protocols for a possible re-opening, according to statements from both sides following a meeting in Boa Vista on Friday.
The meeting was convened to discuss the blockade of the border on the Brazil side by members of the Lethem and Bonfim communities. The blockade has prevented importation of items such as cooking gas, which is essential for residents of Lethem.
The protestors are claiming that while larger businesses are benefitting from the one-day opening for the transport of goods, smaller tradesmen and workers who would travel daily from one border community to another are suffering.
At a meeting between leaders of the two municipalities a request was made that the border be opened on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. This request was denied by Guyana’s National COVID-19 Taskforce.
According to a release from Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, it has been suggested that a possible solution to the impasse was to require all persons transiting the border to be fully vaccinated or produce a negative PCR test result.
Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony, who was part of Guyana’s delegation, is credited with making the suggestion.
“We want a quick reopening of our borders so that we can get back to some level of normality. But we want to do this when we are sure we have protocols that will ensure that the movement of people is safe. We agree that we will keep talking, [and] debating this issue, so that we can reopen the borders in a safe way,” he is quoted as saying in a release from the Office of the Governor of Roraima State Brazil.
Stabroek News has previously reported that Mayor of Bonfim Joner Chagas expressed a willingness to implement a vaccination policy and provide officials from his municipality who would travel to Lethem to verify the authenticity of any Brazilian vaccination cards provided.
An announcement on the municipality’s Facebook page yesterday noted that the vaccination rate of Bon Fim is now 99%. Lethem has a vaccination rate of 70%, which is below the 80%threshold for herd immunity.
According to the release from the Office of the Governor of Roraima State Brazil, Anthony suggested that one of the issues of concern is vaccine hesitancy in Guyana.
Anthony maintained that the arrangement put in place to restrict the movement of goods to one day per week had worked satisfactorily over the past year and pointed out that while it was Guyana’s desire to have the border between the two countries opened as quickly as possible, this had to be done safely given the continuing rise in COVID-19 cases here and the threat of the spread of the Delta variant across the communities.
The rest of the Guyanese delegation included Dr. Ashni Singh, Senior Minister in the Office of the President responsible for Finance, and senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the National COVID-19 Task Force.
Also present was Regional Chairman Bryan Allicock, who declined to speak on the issue when contacted by Sunday Stabroek. Allicock directed all enquiries to the National COVID-19 Taskforce.
Singh is said to have addressed issues raised about the implementation of the International Road Transport Agreement for Passengers and Goods and promised a meeting of stakeholders on the issue. This agreement serves as the legal instrument that regularizes the transport of passengers and goods by road between the two countries. It also sets out the basic principles of “reciprocity capable of integrating and complementing their legitimate national interests.”
Also promised is a meeting of the Frontier Committee responsible for monitoring the development and integration of the two border communities.
The meeting also addressed the construction of the Georgetown to Lethem Highway, which Minister Ashni Singh described as one of the country’s top priorities. Roraima is a partner in the project as well as the construction of a deep-water port and a bridge to Suriname.
“Once completed, these works represent an important opportunity for Roraima to reach the coast of the Atlantic Ocean in an easier and more efficient way. This also represents greater business opportunities between businessmen from both countries, which will benefit Roraima. We have a vision of cooperation with our neighbors,” Singh explained.
