As Guyana continues to experience an increase in confirmed coronavirus cases and related deaths, the Citizen’s Initiative (TCI) political party wants the Government to step up its fight against the virus.
TCI, which has been documenting the daily COVID-19 data on its social media pages said fighting the virus must be a collective effort, pointing out that Opposition political parties, religious organizations and the business community all have a critical and important role to play.
TCI wants the government to consider reinstating a 6 PM-6 AM Monday to Thursday curfew from April 19th, while from Friday to Sunday, there should be a total lockdown of all non-essential activity countrywide.
The party also wants the Joint Services to establish strategic command checkpoints in Regions 3, 4,5,6 and 10.
The political party is also pressing for the immediate closure of all bars, restaurants, clubs, betting/gaming houses, markets, barbershops, salons, malls and other non-essential business entities from April 19th – May 2nd.
Additionally, the group wants to see the cancellation of all sporting competitions and events until a follow-up Impact Assessment on the effective of measures is conducted.
“Food markets, supermarkets, pharmacies, and hardware stores that sell cleaning supplies to allow only takeaway services or delivery but can operate from 6AM – 6PM for pickup, and 6AM – 9PM for delivery. Supermarkets are limited to 50% capacity for shoppers at all times, with current social distancing, mask wearing and sanitizing mandates in full effect”, TCI said in a statement.
Additionally, the party is also asking the government to make mask wearing mandatory and restrict all incoming and outgoing travel to neighboring Brazil except for emergency or diplomatic reasons and those who are allowed entry must be subjected to quarantine and produce a negative test result.
Mask wearing in public is already mandatory but there has not been enough enforcement. The border crossing between Guyana and Brazil has been closed since March 2020.
TCI wants the vaccination campaign to be opened to all citizens and proposes that all educational institutions remain closed.
The party also believes a temporary ban should be placed on public weddings, funerals, and other social events.
The COVID-19 cases in Guyana have been climbing at an alarming rate over the past two months. In the past two weeks alone, Guyana has recorded more than 1000 new coronavirus cases.
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