The government is playing games with people’s lives

Dear Editor,

I am angry. And when I am angry, I have neither time nor patience for measured language. I think the politicians are playing footsie with the lives of all the peoples of this society. At this time, the only politicians, who matter are those in the limited, lame duck government that is in operation. They are the ones that count, for they are the pacesetters and leaders vested with some authority still to be decision makers. In my book, they have failed at all three.

I say all of this because I’ve assess the national health situation, as posed by the global coronavirus scourge, to be more troubling and serious than it is being held out to me and the public. I say this because the numbers do not add up. I say this not from any insider intelligence, but from commonsense. The government is playing clever, but dangerous, games with the numbers, in the tactics employed, and through the visions it possibly harbours.

It makes no sense, none whatsoever, for what is only a partial closedown to be in place, for people to be either congregating about or meandering about, for the statistics, as officially presented, to be credible, hence acceptable. I do not accept them. I may have accepted them, if we did not have any cases at all, if we did not have people coming and going (and two dying) almost at will and without safeguarding themselves and others, and for so few people-again, as officially shared-to be infected.

I say that the numbers are wrong because our people do not possess any special immunities that render them unconquerable by the virus that lays low hundreds of thousands of others in more advanced societies that have taken more precautions and have way more facilities. I say this because our sunshine is not more heated than that of Trinidad and Tobago, which has recorded some 82 confirmed cases and counting. All are agreement that March was a horror story; all are united in anticipations that the worst-the peak-is still in front of us, which brings shuddering.

Now I ask myself why should the government be pussyfooting and playing cute at this crucial and most sensitive of junctures? Why does it do so, when the advantage that could have been seized to get ahead of the situation, by marshaling all to facilitate putting our arms around it, may have been wasted? If it is for elections purposes, please say it is not so, since none should be-could be-that vulgar. I would hate to ascribe to lay such at the feet of my worst enemy, of which there are now many for having sided with this coalition government.

I can live with that and move on with that in mind, as part of the contaminations that come from identifying with or actually associating with any politics in this godforsaken country. But I do not think that the peoples of this society should be misled into believing is that the circumstances are better and more comforting then they are. Do not put the wellbeing of my loved ones at risk.

Do not put our lives at high risk. I am tempted to lash out and say put your own lives at risk, but the fraternal in me overcomes such diabolical weakness. But do not leave us exposed by parceling out what could only be the equivalent of, what is at best, the considerations and conveniences of partial truths if they may be called such. For almost everywhere else is in the state of a rising number of cases, and here we are-going against the grain, and despite the odds-moving merrily along in registering and officially reporting what has to be the rarest of rare statistical outliers.

Almost nothing by way of significant increase has occurred. No racing feet and hushed voices of alarms; just this surreal political serenity that governs all contemplations and actions and related reports.
I am yet to hear of anyone, who wants to hear of more. That is, of more imperiling and frightening numbers; yet all recognize that they are within touching distance of this wasting and all too lethal sickness. I know that it could be posited that the virus has skirted us, that preventative measures were put in place timely, comprehensively, and effectively. Don’t tell that bull to me; tell that to the battalions of sorry suckers out there.

My own welfare is of some concern, but there are others that weigh far more heavily on my scale. I cannot look temperately nor kindly at those responsible for failures in this regard. And in this I think that the government has done too well, by being too smart for its own good. The good of the people in government is not good for me. It is not good for Guyana. And this is whichever of the now proven blights are in the driver’s seat.

Don’t do this to us. I do not wish to be viewed as merely a voting digit. I most strongly desire not to be a health statistic because of egregious and unpardonable deficits by those responsible for the national welfare. Tell us the truth, the real one, so we can band together to present a concerted front against that which threatens, and has the capability, to make mincemeat out of us. Most of all, I would hope that the emergence of this near universal plague is not being used as cover for local electoral purposes. That would be the worst of the worst.

After all, it does provide the perfect cover to be maximized and utilized for any number of perverse visions. Do not look upon us as collateral damage, the means to all political ends. Prove me wrong for this is the gauntlet that I now hurl down publicly.

Sincerely,
GHK Lall