Dear Editor,
‘Too late and too few’ is my reaction, as I am reading that “Two nurses and a screening officer of the Ministry of Health were on Tuesday charged for selling fake COVID-19 vaccination cards, days after they were busted in separate police sting operations on the East Coast and East Bank Demerara.” This as it stands is symptomatic of really frightening reality. These are my questions: How many others are still operating, as I know many do have, and more will have fake vaccination cards? And is there a national data base, where lost vaccinations cards can be replaced? This is really a national horror. Guyana now has a pandemic within the bigger Covid-19 one. Somehow, the Covid reality has become trivial, and adds to the many other cultural manifestations in this land. For example, no one is really ‘up-in-arms’ regarding noise and any other environmental breaches, slow to no police responses, random garbage dumping and no receipts from many stores etc. An extra word on this health crisis is in order, and it is that we are talking about endangering so many compliant and careful persons, when ‘proof’ for vaccination is available, but the proof is fake, and well accepted.
It is good that the police did break through one ring, but how many others are out there? The details show that “Andel Valentine, age 32 years old, of Lot 2136 La Parfait Harmonie West Bank Demerara, and Teneka Pollard, age 29 years old, of Lot 109 Golden Grove EBD, and Olivia Bonus, 21 year-old all appeared at the Diamond Magstrate’s Court before Magistrate Judy Latchman on charges of forgery of document with Intent to Defraud the Public, Contrary to Section 278 of the Criminal Law Offence Act Chapter 8:01.” Well, my big hope is that if found guilty indeed, then condign punishment will be meted out, and that this will serve as a kind of deterrent for those still engaging in facilitating the fakes. Let me close by stating that this situation is not unique to Guyana. This is so since many people are reluctant to be vaccinated against Covid-19, and yet desire the full freedom of the vaccinated. So, the need for the false cards is a reality, and compromising staff in the Covid work force, are already ready for a ‘quick and easy buck.’ According to the leading experts, this kind of thing could lead to outbreaks of the virus, over and over again.
So, we must tighten all security measures regarding ‘proof of being vaccinated.’ Maybe, like they are doing in many places, the Ministry of Health can employ the GRA system of how they issue drivers’ licences. This must start immediately too, as the fake card phenomenon is extremely dangerous. And concerning those who are careless and non-professional, I suggest that they be fired. The word from the Health Minis-ter, is that his ministry is working on a system to generate digital versions of the COVID-19 vaccination card. However, he did not give details regarding a definitive timeline for the completion and release of a digital card, but he noted that employees of the Ministry are in the process of creating electronic copies of the cards, as part of the first step towards digitising the system. This is not good enough – urgency is required.
Sincerely,
P. Mann
