Still Total Lockdown ?

The views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not necessarily those of Breaking Belize News.

By Lisa Shoman: I’m not really sure how humanity has managed to survive for millennia. We can be wantonly reckless, uncaring about our safety and that of others, sublimely stupid and have an acute short term memory problem.

And yet we humans are also adaptable, learn survival skills quickly and endlessly inventive. So those of you doing the right thing, kudos. You don’t fall into the former category. On you rests the hopes of the species for survival.

One relatively small relaxation of the SOE rules announced last Friday, led to much (deliberate?) confusion.

Did Belizean REALLY NOT understand, or did they NOT want to understand?

Did Belizeans truly NOT understand that our political directorate (which doesn’t pull together very often) is going to an extraordinary sitting of the House of Representatives today, and a special sitting of Senate tomorrow, and by AGREEMENT are LIMITING participation to a mere quorum via an agreed number of representatives each?

Seriously – you think they are doing that to extend an SOE for SIXTY DAYS more so unu cud go bade da crik, rivva an sea? So that you can go to the Sandbar with four buddies to drink and swim? Cha.😡

Jewelizeans howled for a lockdown, then when they got one, hollered that the lockdown was ineffectual, then got a near national total lockdown – and less than 14 days later, and only days without new cases – NOW we are flouting the law, acting lawlessly, and shouting for more freedom? Unu tyad mi

They say we need to get back to work. We alllllllllll do. Except for the frontline workers. They been there with very little rest, and with the great mental anguish of their family and friends.

They say we di ded fo hungry. And some of us are borderline there, despite needed help

They say heat and smoke are killing us. Not yet but people in Cayo are in severe distress.

They say we tyad a stay home. Yah. We gat puppyfoot. Me too.

But none of those are ANY REASON to undermine the gains made at great personal, social and economic cost over the past 4-6 weeks. That is the last time most workers got paid from work.

This week GOB will need to pay unemployment assistance to all those not get paid, and start gearing up to pay a second installments workers. And all while collecting little to very little revenue. And the IFI assistance is taking, as it always does, time.

So we are not doing this lockdown thing for the past month in order that you can now take your hot, selfish, bored ass to the river to cool off.

And you will NOT rob us of the hard-earned, costly gains after loss of life, fear, worry and pain.

On Saturday night I had a long agonizing exchange with a business owner who thought the new SI #62 gave permission open to the public. It did not. The business can open only to service delivery to approved businesses. The business owner was frank about the worry as to staying in business and most of all about the staff and their families. I was equally frank. The law does not allow the business to open to the public. Not yet.

I get it. I really really do. Business owners like this are the life blood of my own law practice. And I have not earned any revenue for more than a month. Still I’ve made a choice to pay staff and those who work for me up to May 1, 2020.

I don’t know what happens next. I worry about it a lot. What will happen after May 1? But I do know this – WE ARE NOT THERE YET.

Watch the US in the coming weeks if you don’t believe.

Watch Spain, where my bredrin Dan Littauer lives and almost died of the novel coronavirus.

Spain after becoming the new Italy, suddenly relaxed some restrictions and “walla” – people were out in droves yesterday with kids in tow, without masks and without social distancing. Dan is frantic with worry and he has every damn right to be. He almost died, after waiting days for medical care and 6 hours for a hospital bed. He knows reinfection is a reality.

So yes. We have hard days ahead. And those who are in chronic respiratory distress due to farmland in flames and forest fires, need special consideration if they choose to move out of their homes or district to a safer location.

But nobody needs to put the rest of us at risk by selfish and bored behavior.

You think I’m overreacting? I have 2 words for you : Spanish Flu.

And yes, those who don’t learn from history, are, I’m afraid, doomed to repeat it.

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