Army to deploy 500 soldiers to back up Police in enforcing COVID-19 measures

The country’s Army will deploy 500 soldiers to back up the Police in ensuring Guyanese wear a mask when in public as the authorities scramble to contain mounting cases of COVID-19, the disease which has killed 82 persons as of Thursday.

Army Chief of Staff Brigadier Godfrey Bess said the approach to get persons to wear a mask will be a “soft, cogent” one, but he did not immediately provide details when he spoke at a press conference at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.

The Army and the Police will also work together to ensure that citizens adhere to the curfew hours, which now runs from 9:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. The authorities will also seek to ensure that the measures to ensure social distancing and limit the number of persons at events are adhered to.

“Your safety and the safety of your beloved ones are of paramount importance at this time,” Brigadier Bess declared.

He urged citizens to work with the Army so the country can “rise above this situation.” No other person needs to be infected or die, he stated.

The Police Commissioner (ag) Nigel Hoppie said a significant number of Police will be involved in the operation that Prime Minister Brigadier (rt’d) Mark Phillips labelled as Operation COVI-CURB.