Lessons to be learned this year

May 10, 2020 Features / Columnists, News, The Story within the Story

By Leonard Gildarie

I am a not a big party animal or drinker. Occasionally, I would take a beer and I like vodka and coconut water. But these have to be in moderate quantities. I find that there are more important things to do.
In fact, as I progress in age and life, there is a fast growing appreciation of what is important. I gravitate more to spending time with family and work.
I have always been a dedicated employee. I never like wasting time or standing by idly while things have to be done.
COVID-19 has given me a deep appreciation for my job. I look, I listen to the cries of the many who lost their income and security and realised how we have taken things for granted.
Well, COVID-19 and elections have been the equalizer.
Guyana, from all indications, will likely be the least affected in the region when it comes to the pandemic.
Our economy is diverse and not tourism-dependent like so many of our sister countries.
Places like Barbados, Jamaica and St. Kitts and Nevis will all be hard hit. It is a fact that tourism-related activities have been chugging their economies along.
COVID-19 and hurricanes have been tearing economies apart.
In Guyana, there is good news emerging. Rice and gold. Both have been doing well. There is a reason. Venezuela gold is making its way here. It is pushing declarations up. But the Venezuelans have been taking the precious US dollars out. So too has Trinidad.
The authorities should be looking to push these two as it can reduce our overall impact.
The situation has pushed the US dollar on America Street to about $240. However, rice and gold will not be enough. We have our services and commerce sector taking a beating because of the partial lockdown and curfew.
The closures of restaurants, bars and other entertainment places have continued to have a multiplying effect.
I read the news that Berbice police have launched a crackdown on curfew breakers. Among them are hotel and bar owners. A number of women were also charged.
People are not learning. I saw a Facebook post of Neaz Subhan, a former media official talking about his experiences. He has spent over 40 days in quarantine and isolation. His beard has grown. I am interested in his experiences.
The pain of suffering from COVID-19 is no walk in the park. It leaves you gasping for breath and in the worst case scenarios, start to shut down organs and eventual death.
At this time, the number of positive COVID-19 cases remains under 100 with 10 deaths recorded.
However, the COVID-19 cases are but a small part of the problem we are facing.
The economic fallouts have not fully hit home as yet. The public servants are still receiving their pay.
It is the private sector, the seniors and others who are feeling the squeeze.
The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) is currently finalizing a list of citizens who are the frontline casualities. That entity is working closely with the National COVID-19 Task Force and the National Data Management Authority to populate a list.
In the coming days, it is expected that the Task Force will be making announcements.
The situation, I believe, has not reached to desperation stage yet.
We have to acknowledge that we are limited in our resources.
However, these are unusual times. Our authorities have to act quickly, scientifically to start the relief process.
In the last few days, it appears that normalcy has returned. How else do we explain the traffic, and a congested city? How else do we explain the long lines at the bills collection agencies?
The political situation continues to dominate our lives with scant attention to other areas.
We should never have a repeat.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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