There is very little that could be done at the moment to effectively confront the deadly coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Guyana due to the fact that there is no fully functional government in place. After about seven weeks, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) still cannot get its act together and move ahead in finalising the results for the March 2 polls. In fact, it is very disappointing and perhaps even disgraceful that long after the court has ruled paving the way for the countrywide recount to move ahead, GECOM is still stuck at deciding the modalities for the process.
The nation was waiting with bated breath on Friday with the expectation that the Chairperson, Justice Claudette Singh would have issued strict orders such as the commencement date for the recount, how long the process would last and whether it would be livestreamed, and other key administrative and logistical issues. However, by way of a very brief email, the Chairperson related to her colleague Commissioners the number of workstations that would be used – 10, and a note to say that a meeting would be held with the Moses Nagamootoo-led National COVID-19 Task Force.
The Chairperson’s response did not in any way provide clarity on the way forward regarding the recount, but rather it created even more confusion. For example, not only did she give the impression that the commencement of the recount was dependent on Nagamootoo, but it also confirms the view of many stakeholders that GECOM is not very serious about bringing this electoral process to an end in a timely manner. Even after the Commission’s second site visit on Monday to the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), where the recount is slated to take place, the Chairperson could not give a definitive date as to when the recount would commence and how long she expected it to last.
While GECOM is pussyfooting around on the elections results, coronavirus is wreaking havoc on the country with infection rates going up daily; thousands of persons are out of employment, with many of them suffering and finding it extremely difficult to make ends meet, businesses are closing, and there is increased hopelessness in communities across the country. It is no wonder why persons are still not adhering to the curfew rules such as the stay-at-home and physical separation guidelines, etc.
Not that we are justifying the actions of individuals; in fact, we have always insisted that the sure way of winning the COVID-19 fight is to impose the necessary curfews countrywide so as to limit the movement of persons. However, many persons have taken to the letter pages of the newspapers to ask how would they survive and pay their bills if they stayed at home and not work. In the absence of any proper relief measures, persons are forced to venture out to engage in some form of ‘hustling’ to make ends meet, putting themselves and their families at risk of contracting the virus.
In the height of the pandemic, Governments all over the world imposed certain curfews to ensure they limit the movement of persons, but they did not just announce the orders, they backed them up by providing various forms of support mechanisms, including cash handouts for individuals, stimulus packages for businesses, etc.
The caretaker Government in Guyana seems hopeless. Their ‘relief’ offered so far in the form of food hampers has been fraught with corruption, favouritism and mismanagement. This in itself should warrant an independent investigation.
In the coming days, we will perhaps see the largest increases in the number of persons who are laid off from their jobs in recent history. Every sector, including tourism, manufacturing, services, retail, financial, etc, will continue to be severely affected. There is need for businesses unable to weather the financial difficulties of this period to be provided with stimulus packages. Without fiscal stimulus to help, the economic and social impacts will be devastating.
If this election crisis is prolonged, many Guyanese will die from lack of adequate healthcare to treat the virus, and thousands more will suffer from the economic impact, which can include starvation. Further, Guyana’s efforts to access international funding to fight the virus will be affected.
The problem everyone knows; is the APNU/AFC Government’s current questionable legal standing and the political instability it has engendered. The GECOM Chair has the power to end the madness, but is failing to do so.
