By Navendra Seoraj

POLITICAL Activist and supporter of the incumbent A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC), Marvin Pearce has lost his life to the dreaded Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease in the United States of America (USA).
The Guyana Chronicle understands that 44-year-old Pearce, who lived and worked in the US, was hospitalised at a medical institution in New Jersey for several days before losing the battle to the dreaded disease, which has so far claimed the lives of more than 200,000 persons worldwide.

Pearce reportedly came home frequently, and was deeply involved in politics as well as pageantry.

And while the Guyana Chronicle was unable to make contact with any of his family members, it was able to learn the kind of person the deceased was though the outpouring of condolences on his Facebook page.

Said the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) in a statement: “The PNCR is mourning the passing of our comrade, Marvin Pearce of the North American Region (NAR) who died earlier today (Monday) in New York. The Party leadership and membership wish to offer their sincere condolences and deepest sympathy to the family, relatives, and friends of Marvin.”

And according to Keleisha Pearce, a relative of his: “My uncle was so very full of life, as many of you know. Many of us got to experience his soulful laughter, and felt his warm embraces. And he made sure we knew how he felt about everything at all times.”
As she went on to say in a subsequent post, the family is devastated, because they could have never imagined saying goodbye to him so early in his life.

To those paying tribute to the family at his passing, she said: “At this time, we thank you for your outpouring of love, kind words and prayers. The one thing giving me comfort is how outspoken he was, and that his life was full of colour. We want you all to keep our family in your prayers. We ask that God wrap his arms around us, bind us and keep us strong.”

NEW YORK TALLY

Earlier this month, the Guyana Chronicle reported that COVID-19 had claimed the lives of 34 Guyanese living in New York.

This information was compiled by the Guyana Consulate in New York and submitted to the government, Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo reported.

The prime minister had said at the time that the list was incomplete and not a true reflection of the devastation COVID has wrought on the diaspora, as Guyanese not only live and work in New York but all over the world.

He’d, however, said that partial or not, the government will continue to rely on its foreign missions to provide information on the status of Guyanese living abroad.

According to reports coming out of ‘The Big Apple’, the Guyana Consulate-General in New York has created a means for Guyanese to publicly pay tribute to loved ones lost to the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.

The tributes are being shared on a Facebook page titled, ‘Honoring Guyanese Lost to Coronavirus’, and has already been inundated with tributes, support and condolences to the family and friends of those whose names and photographs feature on it.

“The Consulate-General of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana in New York joins in expressing sincere condolences to Guyanese in the diaspora who have lost loved ones to the coronavirus. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this time of sorrow,” Consul-General Barbara Atherly said in a message.

Considering the increasing loss of lives across the globe because of the COVID-19 disease, some 12,000 Guyanese in New York have asked to be allowed to return home to Guyana. Similar requests have been made by some 80 Guyanese living in Miami, as have another close to 200 working on international cruise ships.

“We have received requests from Guyanese who want to come back, but we are on lockdown, and no flights would come in until the existing orders expire, or if it is amended; we first have to look at how incidences are mounting, already we have 40 (now 65) cases, and six (now seven) deaths… so we need to look at this and review some of our measures. But I cannot say any consideration regarding the requests, is active,” Prime Minister Nagamootoo had reported during one of his regular updates on the situation, adding that it must be noted that Guyana’s first case of COVID-19 was an import, as others have also proven to be.

‘SIT TIGHT’
And while he hastened to assure those wanting to come home that the plight they’re in is not lost on the government, the prime minister asked that they “sit it out” a while longer.
Government, he’d explained, first needs to give itself space to deal with cases here; do proper contact tracing; reduce imported cases; and complete arrangements to have facilities to quarantine persons who come back.
“They would have to subject themselves to quarantine, so we will need facilities for the thousands of Guyanese who wish to come home.
“We would want them to come back home, but they need to understand the challenges we face at home; if they come home right now, it will overwhelm our medical and physical capacity to accommodate them, and give them the treatment they deserve,” he said, but hastened to reassure those listening in on the programme that the government is not dragging its feet when it comes to identifying and establishing quarantine, isolation and treatment facilities.
The former Ocean View International Hotel has so far been identified as a dedicated facility for incubation, isolation, quarantine and medical attention for persons diagnosed with, or suspected to have, the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).