Guinea Grass Chairman Welcomes Lifting of the Lockdown!
So, as you heard just now, the Attorney General announced the lifting of the lockdown of three communities in the north – one of them being Guinea Grass. As we have reported, the villagers were up in arms about the extension of the lockdown and protested against it because they said they needed to work and get access to food. The Village Council went as far as penning a letter to the Prime Minister to appeal on the grounds that their COVID-19 cases were not increasing and that the spread was bigger in other communities. Well, at one minute after midnight, the lockdown was lifted and the Guinea Grass residents were happy and welcoming. Here’s more from Chairman Benito Uck.
On the Phone: Benito Uck, Chairman, San Felipe
“In regards to our community, they were happy. They were asking if they can work the following day and I told them they need to check with their boss to see what he informs them and then they can go ahead. So, they are really excited and grateful with the decision that oversight committee and the government of Belize did for our community.”
Andrea Polanco
“This morning, when the gates, so to speak, were opened did a lot of people go out the village?”
On the Phone: Benito Uck
“Yes. A lot of transportation was moving going to Ship Yard, Orange Walk Town or other districts and Ship Yard going to Orange Walk. So, you could see the movement and you can see the difference in the lockdown from today.”
Andrea Polanco
“Chairman, your letter to the Prime Minister and the small protests in the village, do you think these helped to highlight your cause there – to get that lockdown lifted?”
On the Phone: Benito Uck
“Yes. I think so because the community of Guinea Grass went to protest two days to send the message to the government about what they are going through. And also, the letter that I wrote to the oversight committee – I know that that letter had an impact for the community along with the group that went out there by the checkpoint to do the protest. I think that was the reason and the oversight committee probably reviewed all the situations and they saw the necessity for the lifting of the lockdown in our community. I hope the community – everybody we learned a lesson and I hope everybody just continue abiding with the rules and regulations not to be in this situation again, because it was a hard fifteen days for the community of Guinea Grass. Everybody felt the pain that we were going through – no money; we couldn’t do any transaction at the bank. So, we felt it. Everybody felt this lockdown for more than fifteen days.”
