Our human rights cannot be snatched away in the name of COVID-19

Dear Editor,
It is disheartening and deeply worrying to have to remind the de facto Government of our human rights since our Constitution provides for the adherence and respect of international treaties, such as the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. Human rights outline the minimum standard that must be respected, protected, and fulfilled for us, as humans, to live in dignity. The COVID-19 pandemic does not mean human rights do not apply. During these extraordinarily uncertain times, our human rights, now more than ever, must be respected. We have human rights treaties ratified to guarantee the right to health. All necessary steps must be taken for the prevention, treatment, and control of the disease.
Prevention: it is not a nocturnal disease; the Government has a duty to ensure preventive care measures are available to everyone. So why is it that the Government is not ensuring everyone has masks, vitamins, access to safe water, etc. Why limit the hours we have access to goods and services which will force everyone out of their homes for a short period, this not only makes social distancing more challenging but the congestion it causes puts everyone at even greater risk. Wearing a mask does not mean you do not still have social distance, so imposing curfews for a disease that is not nocturnal is pointless and is doing the opposite of taking necessary preventive steps. Must we wait on the “Marriot for COVID-19” to be built to have an effective response to this pandemic?
Treatment of the disease: Some persons in quarantine have taken to social media to show us the horrible conditions, the lack of proper facilities to aid in their recovery, the food, whatever happened to the eat the rainbow concept to have a nutritious meal? Must we wait on the “Marriot for COVID-19” to be built to have an effective response to this pandemic? On a global town hall on CNN, Chris Cuomo and his wife both have tested positive for COVID-19, they are not quarantined together. What will happen, God forbid, if people end up at Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, those cots, not even beds, do not look even 6ft apart. Back to why I mentioned Chris Cuomo, he said “they don’t know and in the abundance of caution, one person can be reinfected, so do not quarantine together”, when discussing why he and his wife aren’t quarantined together. With that being said, how are the preparations effective?
Control of the disease: A curfew system will not control the spread of the disease, do not force people to go out for a short period to get their errands done. This will force everyone out, and increase the risk of the disease being transmitted. How is that effective in controlling the disease? The lack of information, we know nothing about contact tracing of persons exposed, how can the curve be flattened if there are no effective policies in place to control COVID-19?
Our human rights cannot be snatched away, after all, they are our rights because we are human and have legal protection from the numerous human rights treaties Guyana not only signed onto but also ratified. Our grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, elderly friends, at-risk neighbours, loved ones who are considered immunocompromised for whatever reason, let’s think of them. A few human rights reminders, as it seems the ever-mysterious caretaker President and the cabal are too taken up by the continuous change of narrative, the access to information is one such human right, we have a right to be properly informed about the risk it poses to our health, mitigation risks, and all information about ongoing responses. For example: Why have they not rented out a functioning hotel, instead of rebuilding a low tide hotel without a proper agreement? The ever-mysterious caretaker President made a statement, it was to defend the dossier scandal. At this point, I have daily addresses from other world leaders, why can’t ours do the same? Why is there the sense of an abdication of his responsibility to the people? Shouldn’t we be hearing from the President more?

Respectfully,
Nutana Singh