The Story Within The Story… A nervous Guyana

Oct 04, 2020 Features / Columnists, News, The Story within the Story

By Leonard Gildarie

Kaieteur News – On Friday, the world woke up to news that US president, Donald Trump and First Lady, Melania, were both positive for COVID-19.
The ripple effects were felt on the White House, with the impact also on the political campaign trail and the stock markets.
There were some who believed that he was faking it…a political gimmick for the elections.
Guyana has to watch the US closely as there is so much of this country that is tied to that one.
We have one of the biggest oil finds in the world and the company leading the way in the development of the Stabroek oil block is US-owned ExxonMobil.
ExxonMobil, for all intents and purposes, will have the lead in the development of the nearby Canje and Kaieteur blocks, which it has stakes in.
The US has inked a security agreement which allows its ships to patrol our economic zone area, offshore.
The Venezuela political situation is engaging the US with that country insistent that the regime is illegal.
In fact, the US recognizes an opposition leader as Venezuela’s legitimate leader. We have Venezuela in the International Court over our border.
The COVID-19 pandemic has the world in a death-grip.
The US has gone past 209,000 deaths for this year.
With regards to infection of the President, the story as published by CNN seemed pulled from a political thriller.
CNN reported yesterday that former White House counsellor, Kellyanne Conway, and the President’s campaign manager, Bill Stepien, had both tested positive, which followed the positive diagnoses of two US senators who had attended Trump’s Supreme Court nomination announcement last weekend.
A third Republican US senator, who did not attend the nomination event, announced a positive diagnosis later Saturday morning.
CNN reported that it was a remarkably fast escalation of the virus’ threat — which the President has long downplayed — from an infection that caused him mild symptoms, to a fever to then being airlifted to the hospital, all while spreading quickly throughout the government and his campaign.
It is instructional to note the developments of the well-heeled US…it would be a deep worry for countries like Guyana.
Trump has steadfastly downplayed the danger of the virus.
COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on the world’s economy, shutting down airports and seeing the introduction of curfews to reduce the spread.
It has not stalled the spread. Rather, there is a marked resurgence.
Guyana, though bigger than Suriname, has less deaths, 85 at the time of writing. Suriname’s was at 105.
The US has 7.36M cases; followed by India at 6.47M; Brazil at 4.8M and Russia at 1.2M.
However, the US has 209,000 deaths; India at 101,000; Brazil at 145,000 while Russia stood at 21,251.
The figures are showing sharp spikes in the number of new cases across the globe.
In about a week, Guyana will re-open its airports. Persons coming in will have to produce negative test results which were issued within 72 hours. There will be measures for rapid testing at the airports if the need arises. There will be temperature checks and other measures, too.
The government would be nervous too. The numbers are spiking. But the world is taking a chance at reopening.
The White House lessons on Trump and COVID-19 should send a harsh message to Guyana.
The airports will have to be re-opened sometime. The problem that we have is our people.
They are simple not disciplined.
I was driving on Friday and near Peter’s Hall, I glanced across and saw a young lady sitting in a minibus filled with other passengers. She was not wearing a mask. I gestured to her and showed her mine. She looked away disdainfully.
It was painful. I felt helpless.
The greatest challenge to us will be our discipline in dealing with a degree of “normalcy” being returned.
The re-opening of the airports can be considered as such.
The measures for October as announced by Government are ambitious.
The authorities will be testing the system by allowing the opening hours of business to be later.
In fact, the curfew has been pushed to 9pm. One can be on the road at 4:01am and not be forced to give an explanation.
We, the people, not the government, will have to show our responsibility.
Rip a t-shirt, a piece of skirt or something to wear as a mask if you can’t afford one.
Wearing a mask has to become a way of life and not an inconvenience.
We are barely holding on. The numbers are rising. Do we continue to keep the lockdown while the numbers are rising? Or do we try to keep the wheels of the economy turning while urging our people to be responsible?
As a people, it is decision time. The government has taken the decisions. We were demanding a level of normalcy.
It is simple. All we have to do is wear our masks. Wash our hands. Keep our distance.
We do have the opportunity to show the world our caliber.
Or else all the efforts and last seven months of lockdown will all be in vain.