The National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) has given the green light for the immediate reopening of the Guyana-Brazil crossing from Mondays to Fridays.
A release from the NCTF Secretariat last night said the revised opening takes immediate effect and all international travel protocols are to be observed.
At the start of October, government acting on a recommendation from the Region Nine, Regional Democratic Council reopened the borders to facilitate trade on Thursdays and Fridays.
Brazilians who work and trade in Lethem first blocked the Bonfim highway in September preventing the delivery of essentials to the border town such as cooking gas in protest at their own lack of access to Guyana.
When the border was reopened at the beginning of October, it was stated that on Thursdays it would be open from 7 am to 5 pm for the transportation of large and small- scale goods, while on Fridays at specific times individuals would be allowed across the bridge. The opening hours were from 8 am to 1 pm and 6 pm for a period of 15 minutes for residents of Bonfim and Guyana.
Persons were required to present their vaccination cards at the port of entry or present a negative PCR COVID-19 test result before being allowed to enter the country.
Daniel Gajie, President of the Rupununi Chamber of Commerce and Industry had previously stated that the limited reopening was the best news they had received in the past year and a half.
In a previous report, he noted that Lethem’s economy has suffered significantly due to the closure of the border as many persons from Bonfim, Manaus and other neighbouring communities would travel to engage in trade and commerce.
He stated that many businesses in the township have been struggling to survive as commercial activities have been limited.
In a letter by the regional officials petitioning for the reopening , the impacts of the pandemic on the region were highlighted.
“…there is still an urgent need for goods and services that is necessary which are not accessible from Georgetown that will keep our local economy, businesses and services afloat,” the regional leaders said.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic the border between Guyana and Brazil was closed on May 19, 2020 but both governments had granted the concession of one day for essential goods to travel into Lethem from Brazil. That day was Thursday.
Gajie had stressed that transportation costs from Georgetown to Lethem made it infeasible to bring goods from that distance so in an effort to lower the cost of living most essentials for the Rupununi area are sourced from Brazil.
