Private Sector bodies, operators welcome curfew removal

Several Private Sector bodies have welcomed the decision taken by Government to lift the national curfew that was in place since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus back in March 2020.
On Friday, the 00:00h to 04:00h curfew was lifted with immediate effect – an announcement made by the National COVID-19 Task Force Secretariat.
The Private Sector Commission (PSC), in a subsequent statement said it recognised the consistent reduction in COVID-19 cases over the past weeks and believes that Guyana is well on its way to achieving herd immunity.
The missive also noted, “The PSC continues to urge businesses to adhere to the COVID-19 measures in place to safeguard against the virus and reminds that vaccination remains our top protection against all variants of COVID-19 and a timely booster dose maximises protection against the virus”.
In addition, the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) has also thrown support for this move, identifying that it is a means of adapting to global trends and the evolution of the virus.
“We support this provision since worldwide trends have pointed to vaccination coupled with responsible behaviours is considered to be the most effective way to fight this pandemic rather than lockdowns. The GMSA also uses this opportunity to encourage all manufacturing and services organisations, and furthermore the entire business community to be cognisant of their actions in the elimination of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the association penned.
A similar position was also shared by the Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Development Association (BCCDA), as it also called for persons to get themselves immunised against the virus.
Meanwhile, the Management of Palm Court regarded that the elimination of the national curfew is a timely decision, as it lauded Government’s management of the pandemic.
“Since their election into office, the Government has managed to tackle the spread of the deadly virus where adequate interventions were made to address both the economic impact on the health implications,” the business entity shared.
Palm Court also highlighted the fact that the tourism, entertainment and hospitality sector has been one of the most severely affected globally and in Guyana, resulting in hundreds of businesses and employees being placed on the breadline.
“With more than half the population fully vaccinated, this decision will make way for the safe reopening of businesses as well as create employment opportunities for persons in addition to building the economy. Once again, we would like to thank the Government and the COVID-19 Task Force for their diligence and the recently updated measures,” their statement outlined.
Lifting the curfew does not indicate that Guyanese are exempted from other national measures, such as mask wearing, sanitisation and social distancing. The Task Force, through Operation COVI-CURB continues to monitor for compliance and violators will be penalised.
Moreover, businesses are still required to comply with the limited capacity stipulations, while also ensuring that those who enter their premises are vaccinated with both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. Other measures regarding social gatherings remain unchanged.