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President issues wide ranging anti-Coronavirus orders to destroy property, curtail movement of people, spend emergency funds

 

David Granger

President David Granger has issued sweeping powers that may include the destruction of personal property, compulsory hospitalisation, and the spending of monies from the Consolidated Fund to fight the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

He said his directive remains in force until he withdraws it.

Citing provisions in the Guyana Constitution to guarantee free public health care and the deprivation of people’s personal liberty and freedom of movement or residence in Guyana in keeping with the law to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, the President directed that the virus is an infectious disease that requires the Minister of Public Health to restrain, segregate and isolate persons suffering from the disease or maybe likely from exposure to the infection suffer from the disease.

Further the Public Health Minister is directed by President Granger to take steps to diagnose, prevent or check the disease including the prohibition or restriction of movement of persons and public and private conveyances of any kind whatsoever within and to and from an infected area.

The Health Minister has also been authorised to ask the Guyana Police Force help in enforcing the President’s directives.

The Public Health Minister is also directed to remove to the hospital and provide curative treatment of persons suffering from the disease. In that regard, the Health Minister is tasked with providing one or more hospitals or camps for the reception, isolation and treatment of persons suffering from COVID-19

In the Official Gazette publication dated 16th March, 2020, Minister Volda Lawrence is also empowered by the President to remove, disinfect and destroy the personal effects, goods, buildings and any other article, material or thing exposed to infection from the disease.

She is also required to facilitate speed burial or cremation the dead, facilitate house-to-house visits and inspections, promote cleanliness, ventilation and disinfection.

The Public Health Minister is also required to take steps to prevent the spread of the disease on the seas, rivers and waters of Guyana and on the high seas within 12 miles of the baseline as well as on land.

The Minister of Education and the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration have have been directed by the President to control and prevent the spread of COVID-19 in all educational institutions and in accordance with relevant immigration laws. The Ministry of Education has already ordered the closure of all schools and lesson places from March 16-27, and all public schools are being sprayed.

The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has also closed the country’s two international airports, except for medical evacuations, emergency landing and refuelling.

The President has also directed the Minister of Finance to spend “such sums of money as may be necessary” from the Consolidated Fund in carrying out the various directives by the Ministers of Public Health, Education and Citizenship and Immigration as well as the police.

The President added that, all government agencies and local government authorities are urged to render assistance and cooperation t undertake critical, urgent and appropriate response and measures in a timely manner to curtail and eliminate the COVID-19 threat.”

He also asked all citizens, residents, tourists and members of the private sector to obey lawful directives and advisories issued by appropriate government agencies to prevent further transmission of the COVID-19 and ensure the safety and well-being of all.

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Watch story hey!  Evil has descended on Guyana, and it ain’t the virus!

Next are concentration camps for those suspected of carrying, then they kill who they want and dispose bodies before sun rises!

FM
Last edited by Former Member

From Bryan Maxx 

This illegal cabal is about to use the fear corona virus to attack persons they feel are being offensive to them. Read carefully. This is a sinister plot to lock up persons they would like out of the way and it seems as if they have given themselves the power to kill you and burn your body to "prevent the spread of the virus" THIS IS VERY WORRYING AND I CALL ON THE FOREIGNER MISSIONS TO IMMEDIATELY RESPOND TO THIS NEW DEVELOPMENT.

This illegal cabal is about to use the fear corona virus to attack persons they feel are being offensive to them. Read carefully. This is a sinister plot to lock up persons they would like out of the way and it seems as if they have given themselves the power to kill you and burn your body to "prevent the spread of the virus" THIS IS VERY WORRYING AND I CALL ON THE FOREIGNER MISSIONS TO IMMEDIATELY RESPOND TO THIS NEW DEVELOPMENT.

FM

Evil has truly descended on Guyana. No other country have announced such, not China not Italy. People will be taken off the streets, shortly thereafter their ashes returned to family, they died of Corona and cremated as precaution.

FM

Just as I suspected. Volda is empowered under the pretext of containing COVID-19 to hound out political opponents, destroy their property, send them to "camps" etc. Indeed the PNC is counting Coronavirus as a political blessing in disguise. 

FM

@Totaram, which country has implemented measures of detain if suspect, destruction of personal property and immediate cremation of the body?

The type of evil being unleashed on the citizens is ISIS class!  The evils of Burnhamism are back in full force!

Carona is known to not spread easily in warm climates, yet the measures taken are beyond China or Italy, two worse hit countries.

FM

Written by Yog Mahadeo—

"INTERESTING" could be used to describe the crafting of the (COVID-19) Directions by the President given under the Public Health Ordinance.

Before you political activists jump down my throat, ask yourself....are you critical of this because it is Granger who signed it? And on the APNU/AFC side, how would you react if the exact words were approved by a PPP Government?

For me, from one perspective it is good to see condign action on COVID-19. But from a public interest and governance perspective, that draftsman must be a special person that would draft it and get it approved.

In these Directions, the President empowers Health and Finance Ministers to commandeer such resources and spend as necessary - until so reversed by the President.

Take Singapore, for example, the President decreed many similar things - without transferring sweeping powers to any person - that is, he maintained control and responsibility. He gave authority for COVID-19 (planning, assessment and response) to a TEAM of persons, not just the persons of the Minister of health and finance.

Note well, in other countries, the measures/decrees are similar, but not the responsibility so that in our in Guyana, the Minister has the power to "restrain, segregate and isolate persons suffering from the disease, or who may be likely from exposure to the infection suffer from the disease."

But I haven't seen another that allows the Minister to "destroy the personal effects, goods, buildings and any other article, material or thing exposed to infection from the disease." Meaning that the Minister of Public Health in Guyana can destroy your building.

Yes, we are aware that the situation in Guyana is different, especially with the state of the Government and elections.

And yes, other countries may have done the same......but under these same circumstances?

 

FM

Do you think they will claim that they need to burn all the ballots in those containers to control COVID-19 or are they just going to remove all the citizens guarding those containers so they can tamper with the votes? Or are they just trying to empty the Consolidated Fund on their way out?

FM

Ok, former PPP minister Beri said the proposal is not as draconian as communicated but was bungled by Bungling Williams.  Some of the drastic measures played-up are only in the most extreme.

FM

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