Utility companies, ministries, subvention agencies meet to discuss COVID-19 measures

The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) on Monday hosted a virtual meeting with over                                   50 representatives from various Ministries, subvention agencies and major utility companies to discuss the Guyana National COVID -19 Action Plan.

According to the CDC, this meeting was called to establish sectoral roles and create an extensive mechanism to ensure the highest level of collaboration among all stakeholders is attained to further aid in preventing the spread of the Coronavirus,  enhance preparation and strengthen our local response to the outbreak in keeping with the national plan.

“The omission of critical sectors from the category of essential services in the Action Plan, enforcement of the curfew, alternative provision for farmers’ markets and alternative systems of payments of pensioners were among the concerns raised by a number of the agency representatives,” the CDC stated.

This forum was used by the CDC to explain and emphasise the need for a robust and collective system to mobilise resources and enforcement of the COVID 19 policy by all agencies. This National Stakeholders group now joins the International, Non-Governmental  Organisation and Private Sector working groups to respond to and mitigate the threat of a COVID-19 pandemic on the Guyanese population.

Discussions emanating from each group will be advanced to the National COVID-19 Task Force to refine the Action Plan. The National Stakeholders’ Group will meet virtually twice weekly.

The group comprises the following stakeholders: Ministry of Communities, Ministry of the Presidency, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Social Cohesion, Culture, Youth and Sport, Ministry of Agriculture and all subvention agencies, Ministry of Social Protection, Guyana Police Force, Immigration, Transport and Harbour Department, Guyana Civil Aviation Authority, Management of the  Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Guyana Defence Force, Guyana Prison Service,  Guyana Revenue Authority Customs and Trade, Department of Energy, Guyana Water Inc., GTT,  Digicel, MARAD, Guyana Sugar Corporation, Department of Citizenship, GECOM, Government Analyst Food and Drug Department and Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission.