…Taskforce says requests for charter flight to bring home stranded Guyanese still under review

THE National COVID-19 Task Force (CTF), headed by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, is still deliberating on whether it would extend the National Emergency Measures and grant approval for stranded Guyanese to return home.

“No final decision was taken on either matter, both of which require further deliberations,” NCTF said in a statement on Monday, hours after the conduct of its weekly statutory meeting.

With the airports closed to international travel, the NCTF has received a number of requests for charter flights to transport Guyanese stranded in the United States (US), Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba and other parts of the world – but a decision is pending.
Guyana has had a ban on international travel since March 18, 2020 to prevent against imported cases of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Disease. The ban is due to expire on May 1, 2020, however, it is unclear whether a decision will be taken to extend it.

The ban was incorporated in the National Emergency Measures which were implemented on April 3 for a period of one month unless extended or amended by notice of the Minister of Public Health following an assessment of the prevailing public health conditions.
“The Cheddi Jagan International and Eugene F. Correia International Airports shall remain closed to all international flights except for outgoing flights, cargo flights, medical evacuation flights, technical stops for fuel only and special authorised flights,” a section of the order by the Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, read.

Addressing the issue earlier this month, the NCTF had said that while it is sympathetic of Guyanese currently stuck in foreign countries as a result of the global pandemic, it was not feasible for the country to re-open its international borders at the time.

“The NCTF continues to receive information of Guyanese citizens who are in various parts of the world seeking to return to Guyana, and while sympathetic to their situation, considers it a priority to ensure that all citizens in Guyana are protected from the spread of COVID-19 and reiterates that Guyana’s international airports remain closed to incoming passengers until May 3,” it had said while reassuring Guyanese that an assessment would be done prior to May 3, to determine whether the airports can reopen to passenger traffic or whether it is necessary for the closure to be extended.

Other measures include a 12-hour curfew from 18:00 hours to 06:00 hours; closure of non-essential businesses; and a ban on social activities.