COVID-19: Lock-down of Georgetown hinges on multi-agency consensus- City Mayor
Mayor of Georgetown Ubraj Narine
The Georgetown Municipality has no immediate ‘solo’ plans to shut down economic activities in Georgetown amidst the coronavirus as such a move would require the involvement of a multiplicity of agencies and organizations.
This is according to City mayor Ubraj Narine and Town Clerk of the City Sherry Jerrick during telephone interviews with BIG Smith News Watch on Sunday afternoon.
Mayor Narine said that the council has not been meeting due to the virus which has been pushing persons to exercise social distancing but was quick to point out that discussions are being had with council members and other concerned players through telephone contact and the entire council has been very supportive of the steps taken thus far.
“We are monitoring the markets and so forth, we have a lot of agencies, the private sector, chambers of commerce, Ministries of Public Health, Communities and Security and I will not implement anything to just shut down until I have word from fellow councilors and all stakeholders involved” Georgetown Major Ubraj Narine noted.
He lamented that dealing with the COVID-19 virus is something that needs all hands on deck and that is what the Georgetown Mayor and City Council is doing. The mayor also reminded that already a statement was issued calling for there to be less large gatherings at bars, barbershops and salons and people should heed to these precautionary measures.
The Chief City official also pointed to steps that have already taken directly by the council with the help of the Guyana Fire Service to ensure that markets and surrounding areas, especially where vendors are operating; to be constantly washed and sanitized.
“I will wait on the other agencies and let’s see what the next move we as a body, will make, we are not sure how long we are going to hold out but let’s see what happens tomorrow” the City Mayor affirmed.
Meanwhile, Town Clerk Sherry Jerrick explained to BIG Smith News Watch that much of what the council will do as it relates to restricting movements and so on would depend largely on the direction on that is taken at the national level.
Sherry Jerrick: Town Clerk- Georgetown Mayor and City Council
Like Mayor Narine, Jerrick made reference to the press statement which was sent out some time ago advising residents of the city especially those operating businesses, what they should do to safeguard themselves and patrons.
“At the level of the city constabulary we are not enforcing and we are not moving for enforcement..like I said, we are appealing, we are asking persons to do what is best, to follow all precautionary advice and practice all the precautionary measures…at this time we are only appealing” Stated Town Clerk Sherry Jerrick.
Thus far, the Town Councils of Linden and New Amsterdam have placed some restrictions on the movement and economic activities in their respective Municipalities’ span of control while in Corriverton, the authority there has moved to manage the flow of the public at its marketplace.
Those moves have since seen a multiplicity of comments by persons on social media calling for similar acts to be taken by the Georgetown Mayor and City Council.
Since the coronavirus began spreading across the country, Guyana has since recorded eight positive cases with one death. public Health Minister Volda Lawrence is slated to host a press conference tomorrow, Monday to update the nation on the Coronavirus.
