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Brazilians still being allowed to sneak into Lethem despite COVID-19 travel restrictions
Police at the Guyana/Brazil border in Lethem are coming under heavy criticism for failing to enforce the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in Region Nine by allowing Brazilians to sneak into the town every week to conduct their shopping needs.
The Lethem Brazil Border has been placed under a 24-hour travel restriction
Last Thursday, a female resident of the border town reached out to this publication to raise concerns about a trend of Brazilians being allowed in the country despite the restrictions on travel.
The resident explained that the matter has been brought to the attention of the regional authorities but not the law enforcement officers since it is the police that have been granting the travelers permission to cross the border.
The woman explained that ever since the lockdown, every Thursday, goods from Brazil are allowed to pass through the Police and Customs Unit stationed at border. The Unit she said, is responsible for ensuring that goods are transported in accordance with the standard requirements.
“The goods are checked and sanitized before it passes through. However, there have been groups of Brazilians being allowed to pass in as well. The police are supposed to enforce the restriction on travel. Instead, they are approving the vehicles with Brazilians to pass.
Only last Thursday, there was a group of about five Brazilians who were allowed to pass into Lethem to shop. People close to the border saw the car with a Brazilian licence plate passed the restriction point and made its way into Lethem. There are also videos of these people perusing stores through town.
This seems to be a trend whenever goods come over to Lethem from Brazil, people are allowed to pass and the police allow it because they too have been going over to Bonfim to shop,” she explained.
According to the woman, the issue has raised concern among the residents of Lethem given the increase in cases of COVID-19 in the neighbouring country.
She noted nonetheless that while people are aware of the situation, they have not been speaking out because they are afraid of being victimized by the police. “But it must be highlighted because their failure to enforce the rule is putting our entire community at risk,” she added.
Lethem is a direct gateway from Guyana to Brazil.
Guyanese and Brazilians have been allowed to freely traverse the borders for leisure and business via the Takatu River crossing. However, ever since Guyana reported its first case of the infectious disease in March, the Brazilian authorities imposed a temporary lockdown of border.
The border was later placed under a 24-hour lockdown from commuters as cases in Brazil began to spike. Since then, residents have been on the lookout for persons sneaking across the borders despite the restrictions.
At present, Lethem has three active cases of the coronavirus disease, all of whom are in isolation at the regional hospital. Given the proximity with Brazilian cities such as Bonfim and Boa Vista in the Roraima State, which has over 600 active cases, the authorities in Guyana have been increasingly cautious about allowing travel between the two countries.
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