Dear Editor,
I would be grateful if you would publish my letter so that the relevant authorities in Guyana could be made aware of what is taking place here at St. Ignatius Village in Central Rupununi, Region Nine. I am also quite certain that other villages have suffered similarly, under these conditions.
This pandemic era will always be remembered and it will not be easily forgotten; it definitely would linger as long as possible in the psyche of those who were affected and badly mistreated. In these circumstances, our lives have been placed at very high risk by those who were in authority while we became most vulnerable to COVID-19, as our region is the closest to our neighbouring country of Brazil, the second highest infected country in the world.
It is a fact that our border remains porous and Brazil is just a stone’s throw away from our village, where persons can slip through day or night in search of financial assistance which many of us are receiving from the Brazilian Federal Government.
These risks taken by our natives here in the Rupununi to travel via ‘back-track’ to Brazil, to also receive assistance from families; with their traditional factors and sub-culture attached, are all contributing factors to the spread of the deadly COVID-19.
During the recent political impasse in our country, it appeared that no support was forthcoming to our area any time soon to reverse the spread of this deadly coronavirus. While the fight for political power was on, we were fighting to protect the lives of our people. Hence, this unfortunate situation presented a great threat to the population of the Rupununi region.
Some form of assistance was only available in the Lethem municipality, where donations of food hampers were rendered by some generous business persons, while the Lethem Town Council did the distribution.
This situation of uncertainty was creating much panic here in the indigenous communities of the Rupununi; which manifested itself at our door steps and placed us on the back foot.
Little or no support came from the former REO Mr Carl Parker. The St Ignatius Village taskforce group consists of fifteen active members who came together and pooled their human resources to put up a fight against the spread of the deadly coronavirus, sometime in late March 2020.
A logistical plan was initiated and fuel (gasoline & diesel) was requested by our group from the then REO to address some of our immediate needs in terms of mobilising and putting new measures into place as well as enforcing the curfew in our village. Our efforts would have required fuel for five motorcycles, one ATV, one fifteen-horsepower outboard engine to patrol the Takutu river with assistance rendered by the GDF and GPF, between Guyana and Brazil and also five motor vehicles on the standby to respond to emergency calls from two satellite villages, Kumu, and Quarrie and in St Ignatius village, alongside the border.
Three gates were erected and sign boards with notices were placed at strategic points, alongside bridges of main entrances, between central and south central of the Rupununi, to notify vehicular traffic of the new systems that were now in effect.
Trenches were dug by two excavators to prevent persons from crossing over in vehicles from one point to another and to also minimise the smuggling of Brazilian nationals into Lethem, hence into mining areas.
As a result of our efforts in this fight against the deadly COVID-19, a dent was put on the smuggling of alcoholic beverages and other items in demand from neighbouring Brazil.
The highly organised motorcycle smuggling scheme from Brazil to Lethem which transited our village, was reduced tremendously. These illegal activities were also suspected to be a mode of transmission for COVID-19.
During such time our efforts created a formidable barrier between the central and south central areas of the Rupununi, particularly in the monitoring of movements of people traversing on land and in the Takutu River.
To date our village has registered eight persons infected with the virus.
Over one hundred acres of land was identified for cash crop farming in the homestead lands of St Ignatius Village for use by those who were affected directly and indirectly by the COVID-19 – an initiative that is yet to take off.
A dynamic interview process was developed to assist in the gathering of data on how the COVID-19 had affected the lives of families in indigenous communities.
Yet in spite of all of our efforts made and in joining forces with the regional taskforce committee, our commitment to the cause of protecting our families, village and our country as a whole, has not gone down too well with some stakeholders.
The limited resources we had to continue the fight against the COVID-19 were exhausted, and proven to be inadequate, hence, we had requested a re-supply of fuel and other necessary protective gears (sanitizers etc) from the former Regional Executive Officer of Region Nine to continue our patrols on the border, but to no avail.
We were asked to submit a fuel consumption report to the transportation officer which we did. Unfortunately, it took us one month before we got a re-supply of fuel as we are always more than willing to stand steadfastly and continue the fight with our taskforce members on the frontline, despite the fact that our gates and padlocks were regularly broken and damaged by destructive elements, in an attempt to continue their covert activities.
We made efforts to mend our relationship with the health authorities in Lethem, after a misunderstanding when they were found heading into an out-of-bounds area without informing the village authority.
In early July, we embarked on a body temperature testing exercise, which has allowed us to test over ten thousand persons entering and exiting our village within a two-week period. This initiative was realised with a generous donation from our membership that enabled us to purchase an infrared thermometer gun. Donations also came from the then Regional Vice Chairman Mr Carl Singh, his sister Ms Carla Singh and Lincoln Trading Company, which motivated us to double up on our work as volunteers.
Editor, it appeared as though that we were all left on our own to be devoured by this invisible monster of the COVID-19 in St Ignatius Village. Our cry for help fell on deaf ears, amidst the upsurge of positive cases in the Rupununi region.
Editor, despite our challenges and with the obstacles that we have encountered during our selfless efforts in this battle to protect and save lives in our communities, we will continue to be loyal to our country and appeal to our people to practice all safety measures that were put in place to stay healthy and safe.
Editor, it is the time now for the authority of Region Nine to make a firm decision on the handling of this COVID-19 situation in the Rupununi districts. More so, since there was a change in government, there has been some signs of relief and hope in the hearts and minds of the people here in Region Nine.
The St Ignatius Village COVID-19 taskforce group is now prepared and ready to continue its work in a more organised and structured way, since meeting with the new REO, Mr Carl Singh and current Regional Chairman, Mr Brian Allicock. The support given to us from these two gentlemen, was overwhelming.
Yours faithfully,
Mark Anthony Rodrigues
Co-Founder & Secretary
St Ignatius Village Council
Task Force Group
