We can breathe a little

Dec 27, 2020 Features / Columnists, News, The Story within the Story

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The Story Within The Story…

By Leonard Gildarie

Kaieteur News – The year 2020 will go down in Guyana’s history as a juncture where our people have been tested to their limits.
We still have a few days before it is over…the year, that is.
In my view, the next six months will be critical. Like the US’ 911 felling of the Twin Towers in New York, and the aftermath, the events of 2020 will continue to reverberate for years.
We are slowly learning to cope with a pandemic, which is far from over. The elections in Guyana and the US have seared its DNA in our being. No longer are ethics and morals watchwords. Rather, the use of the Constitution and delaying tactics have all become weapons of mass destruction unleashed on our people.
I paid attention to the world’s handling of the Coronavirus. Many of them gambled, and the people erred as they viewed the pandemic as something alien happening in Timbuktu.
At the time of writing, several countries are reporting that they have found mutating strains of the virus. This is not good news. In fact, it can throw our war sideways and derail the mass production and introduction of vaccines.
It is expected, therefore, that we are not, by any stretch of the imagination out of the woods yet.
Several parts of Britain are in lockdown with the UK government not ruling out a national lockdown.
Several parts of Europe are reporting rising numbers in what is a second wave.
The hospitals in California, one of the biggest states in the US, are reporting a major spike in numbers.
North America is bracing and has been warned of a brutal winter, which could provide an unwitting support to the virus.
Across in Canada, which borders with the US, the province of Ontario was scheduled to go on a lockdown yesterday.
CTV Toronto reported that nearly all non-essential businesses would remain closed until January 23, almost a month.
During the lockdown, it was reported that no indoor public events or social gatherings would be allowed, except with members of the same household. All publicly funded elementary and secondary schools in the province will close for in-person learning until at least January 11.
Under the lockdown orders, bars and restaurants are only allowed to open for takeouts.
There is bad prognosis. Officials said that regardless of the scenario, occupancy in Ontario’s ICUs would be above 300 by the new year. In the worst-case scenario, COVID-19 patient occupancy could surpass 1,500 by mid-January.
The above represents a reflection of what is happening in the world.
There is a major issue. Canada is a developed country. First world, if you will. That country has resources. Far more, per capita, than what developing nations like Guyana can muster.
Herein lies the problem. I have friends and families in the islands.
Take St. Maarten for example – located right next to St. Kitts and Nevis, this little dual-state island of less than 100,000 people, will not be getting visitors via cruise ships or yachts for the next few months. It will take a year before the island can recover to a sense of normalcy, if it is lucky that the ships come calling again.
I predict that will be a tough one.
People simple don’t have money to get by much less go on a vacation.
So St. Maarten’s US$100M harbour is in trouble. So is its US$100M airport. Very few planes are landing. The ripple effect on shopping, casino and hotel life, fine dining, taxis and car rentals, etc., will all take a hit. The reality is that this island has very little going for it. No agriculture, nothing.
The story is the same for many islands across the Caribbean.
Economists will tell you more of the multiplying effects of the virus pandemic on countries.
There is one piece of good news for one country. China, it has been projected, will overtake the US in 2028 as the world’s biggest by 2028.
Yes, the same China from which the virus came. The world, ironically, was forced to turn to China for its medical supplies to combat the virus.
You want to hear more? China is predicting an eight percent growth next year. Some cynics will say that China is being rewarded.
There was deep worry in certain quarters in October when the Irfaan Ali government took some bold decisions to reopen the economy.
Controlled flights at the Timehri airport. Pushing back of the curfew. Easing the restrictions on the number of passengers in public transports, including water taxis.
The police force simply does not have the manpower to force compliance.
The Ali government therefore had to be gambling that the people will have to self-police.
The closure was killing the country. Many businesses have folded. It will be a nightmare to restart, for them to get back on their feet.
The poor workers who lost their jobs will not be getting help, like before, from families in North America via the barrels and small change from Western Union.
Remittances have been a major support for thousands of families.
The pandemic has taught us some brutal lessons. We will have to adapt, if we intend to survive.
It has always been a tradition that one partner works in the home.
We have to find ways to supplement our incomes. We have to find ways to bring down our expenses.
Conserving on energy, a little kitchen garden, and generally watching our budget and putting aside a little for a rainy day, will have to come naturally to us.
This Christmas, despite Guyana being a poor country, we have seen the crowds. We did have a little money to spend.
That $25,000 did help many families.
We stayed home, with our families. We had some drinks. We ate. Some families struggled.
But we are doing better than in September.
People are adapting.
We can breathe a little easier now.
As 2021 beckons, we have to brace ourselves. There are many uncertainties.
For now, let us breathe a little easier. We have made it this far.

(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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