— President Ali

BY and large, it would appear as though ‘good sense’ has not prevailed in the public’s adherence to the COVID-19 guidelines, and as such, President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, has emphasised that the enforcement measures would be upped to ensure that the COVID-19 guidelines are adhered to.

“We thought good sense would’ve prevailed but it hasn’t from the population in the way they treat the pandemic,” the President lamented on Wednesday during a press conference held at the State House, in Georgetown.

Sharing just one experience of the irresponsibility of some, by flouting the COVID-19 guidelines, the President said that he received complaints of no less than 1,000 people congregated at resorts on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway. Due to the sheer number of people gathered, it would have been difficult for members of the Task Force to arrest people, since that action in itself would create another health concern.

Cognisant of the irresponsible behaviours, the President said that he has asked Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, to discuss other ways of enforcing the guidelines.

“If the owners and the managers allow these breaches at their facilities, then they’ll be charged to the full extent of the law,” the President stated. He also noted that there would be “more boots on the ground” as ranks from the armed forces attempt to enforce the guidelines and dissuade errant actions.

He did not indicate that there would be a change to the current curfew hours which are from 22:30 hours to 04:00 hours daily.

With the discovery of the deadly coronavirus to Guyana last March, large public gatherings have been prohibited and a social distance of six feet was encouraged. The prohibition and distancing, among other measures, were instituted since the interaction of people would be conducive for the spread of virus from person to person.

“The lives of the people matter and they cannot be this reckless,” the President lamented.

The situation at the Linden/Soesdyke highway was not an isolated issue. There are constant reports of people flouting COVID-19 guidelines by organising and attending parties, fetes and other large gatherings.

Earlier in April, Covicurb patrols were conducted by members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and the Guyana Police Force (GPF), who make up the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF). Through these patrols, the officers found scores of persons breaching the national curfew and flouting social distancing guidelines, by congregating in bars, at parties and at other similar gatherings.

After these patrols were conducted, few videos began circulating on social media wherein the persons detained in the GDF and GPF vehicles, and who were later arrested, were verbally abusing the officers and engaging in other disorderly behaviours. Subsequently, memes emerged on social media labelling the GDF bus as a “party bus”, making light of the situation.

“What they were behaving with in that bus was reckless. It’s reckless,” the President lamented at the sidelines of a previous event.

On Wednesday, the President also explained that the irresponsible behaviours have resulted in the country spending resources that could have otherwise been used in a public communication campaign or to bolster mainstream healthcare.