THE African Cultural and Development Association’s (ACDA) Steering Committee has called on the government to provide economic relief to Guyanese by means of a stimulus package due to the harrowing effects of COVID-19.

The organisation made the pitch on Wednesday in a release to the media. The proposal is similar to the US$2 trillion economic relief plan/Coronavirus Stimulus Package signed into effect by US President Donald Trump to aid millions of American households affected by the pandemic.

Under the package, most adults will get $1,200 or less while for every qualifying child, age 16 or under, the payment will be an additional $500. ACDA said while Guyana is not the most challenged country as it relates to the virus, the disruption in global economic activity caused by the pandemic will have an impact on the country’s open economy.

It noted that the need for social distancing has disrupted the normal activity of commerce and places of recreation; the shutting of schools and limiting social engagements have severely curtailed the need for transportation; livelihoods that depended on the commercial activity on the perimeter of school compounds are disrupted; vendors who occupied the pavements have seen their means of existence disappear but the demand for basic commodities has risen as a result of the virus.

This marked slowdown in economic activity and foreseeable loss, ACDA stated, requires aggressive stimulating action by government. “In this crisis, the Guyanese people matter most since they are involved in production whether for themselves, on behalf of the government or private business. The question, therefore, is how do we take care of the people of Guyana? What social and economic strategies are being drafted to protect Guyanese?” the body questioned.

It pointed out that those at greatest economic risk are the private businesses and their workers. It stated that it could be argued that the poor are even worse off as the privilege of social distancing may not be easily possible.

ACDA stated: “Those who could have been asked to work from home with a heavy reliance on the use of cell phones and internet services would see their phone bills go up. Employers hopefully, will have to bear these higher costs where necessary. Families without computers would find it hard to conform to the new work requirement, placing them at a disadvantage. Those businesses that offer computer services to the public are under tremendous strain. More workers, especially of labourers and other skilled tradesmen and women, will find themselves on the unemployment line with an inability to meet their basic expenditures in the coming weeks.”

As such, the body said that it is only fitting that the government step in financially when it is most needed.

The ACDA Steering Committee stressed that the COVID-19 crisis at hand is not of the doing of Guyanese and they should not be made to suffer unavoidably as a result.

“The government should not allow limitations of administration to prevent it from protecting and helping the Guyanese people to survive this pandemic. Under current abnormal circumstances, the government, therefore, needs to step forward with additional measures to help the population, as it contemplates a total lockdown of the country,” the release put forward.

“A more robust and broad-based stimulus package for households and business, that can protect the people and economy of Guyana from the potential widespread ravages of the coronavirus, is of paramount importance. Since an entire nation is at risk, it would make good sense [to] act now. This must be a national effort devoid of partisan interest.”
Other countries affected by COVID-19 with stimulus packages or considering the same include Aruba, Australia, Bahrain, Belize, Egypt, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Slovenia and Thailand.