A view of the terminal and part of the runway at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri
May 19 2020
…Courts gets clearance to reopen stores; Komal Chand body to return
THE Government of Guyana has approved the controlled re-entry of over 100 Guyanese to their homeland from countries such as Trinidad and Tobago, St. Vincent, St. Maarten and Cuba.
This was one of the main decisions of the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) made during its weekly statutory virtual meeting on Monday [May 18]. Approval for re-entry has been given for a total of 70 Guyanese cruise ship workers attached to Royal Caribbean to return by air; 19 Guyanese students of the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad; 10 Guyanese in St Maarten and four Guyanese in St. Vincent to return via SVG Air.
Additionally, the application for returning of trade unionist Komal Chand’s body and his wife from Cuba has been approved. Chand died in Cuba where he was undergoing treatment for a prolonged period of illness. Prior to his death, he served as President of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and was pivotal in championing the rights of sugar workers.
“Minister of Foreign Affairs the Hon. Dr. Karen Cummings met with Mr Chand’s son and spoke to Mrs. Chand via telephone. Minister Cummings conveyed sympathy on behalf of the government and shared with the family the position of the government,” the NCTF stated in a release.
An application from CARICOM was also approved for a team of officials based in Guyana to travel to Suriname to observe the Surinamese election scheduled for May 25, 2020 and return to Guyana thereafter. Despite the given consent, the NCTF noted that the approvals are subject to satisfaction of the requirements of the Ministry of Public Health and other relevant ministries and agencies and the cost of return being borne by the applicants.
Pointing to the specifics, the task force said that results of COVID-19 tests (PCR with results in English Language) must be provided 48 hours in advance of an individual’s arrival. If pre-tests are not available, prior written consent must be provided by each arriving passenger for quarantine if deemed necessary by the Ministry of Public Health.
Meanwhile, an application from Caribbean Princess cruise line for 63 Guyanese crew members to return via sea was not approved, given the risks involved with seaport entry.
“The NCTF is however amenable to considering an application for these crew members to return by air,” the release stated. The task force also deliberated on the issue of post-June 3rd emergency measures and the possible phased re-opening of the economy and airspace. It was noted that there is need for further deliberations in this regard.
Such discussions are in keeping with CARICOM’s plans to simultaneously reopen the Region with clearly established protocols. Recently, the 50th meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) approved a strategy for the re-opening of economies in CARICOM.
The strategy recommends a graduated model which sees governments relaxing restrictions in a deliberate, phased and incremental manner, based on the transmission risk profile of the pandemic in specified geographical locations, sectors or businesses.
The framework suggests establishing a national public/private consultative mechanism to govern the relaunch of economic activity at the member state level; minimum standards which must be attained before relaxation of restrictions and communications to build public trust. There is also the proposal for Certificates of Operation to be issued to businesses that have been verified to be compliant in the protocols established for the industry. Apart from re-entry related matters, the task force approved an application from Unicomer Guyana to open eight of their Courts stores for the purpose of receiving monthly installment payments from customers.
This approval was granted effective from Wednesday May 20 for Monday to Friday openings during the non-curfew hours. It is subject to the fulfilment of all requirements and is for the following locations: Main Street, Georgetown; Bartica; Richmond, Essequibo Coast; Linden; Mahaica; Parika; New Amsterdam and Diamond.