Since 2002, the Paris Plages event in France has been offering Parisians and visitors free summertime beachside recreation along the Seine River. The highly popular event, which usually runs from early July to the beginning of September and encompasses leisure, culture and sports activities had a late return on Saturday last, for obvious reasons. And though some of its activities have been curtailed, for the same reasons, reports are that people were thrilled to be able to board electric boats or sit socially distanced on the pier for the open-air movies shown on a large screen set up over the Seine that marked the official return of the Paris Plages for 2020. In some other countries, like Canada, which launched the world’s first drive-in museum in Toronto in May; the US, where city blocks have been closed in New York to allow open-air dining; and China, where drive-in movies have made a huge comeback, these are the feel-good stories. But in too many places, the reality is bleak.
After being on lockdown owing to the coronavirus pandemic for eight weeks, and longer in some cases, some countries have indeed begun to reopen but tentatively and in stages, while still observing social distancing. There have been a lot of calls for a “return to normalcy”, primarily by businesspeople who have their eyes on the bottom line, but at this point there is no way the world can resume operating the way it was before. There is too much about Covid-19 that is still unknown, including definitive explanations on issues like reinfection and long-term effects.
Obviously, the fallouts that economies have suffered during the lockdown are pushing the openings. Months of stagnation can only lead to collapse and leaders want to avoid a depression if this is at all possible. Perhaps some will, but Covid-19 has stymied global advancements and will continue to cost the world a great deal, far into the future.
As recent as last year, just before the onset of the pandemic, there had been concerns that efforts to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were not moving as quickly as they should be. According to the 2030 Agenda, set in 2015 by the United Nations, the first 8 goals once attained will end poverty and hunger, promote good health, well-being, quality education and gender equality, make accessible clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy and decent work and economic growth. The other nine speak to resilience in industry, innovation and infrastructure, reduced inequality, sustainable cities and communities, and responsible production and consumption, as well as action on climate change, protecting ecosystems and the oceans, promoting peace and justice, and forming partnerships to achieve the goals.
The events of this year so far have eroded some of the gains made towards achieving these goals and this will be felt more intensely in developing countries and among the poor and vulnerable. Donor programmes that are already budgeted for may be safe at this time, but in many instances where assistance is needed funds will be or have been diverted to stemming Covid-19 and its effects on humanity. And if the unprecedented, but necessary spending on sanitation, equipment, medicines, and vaccines were not enough, all countries face huge costs that stem from lack of productivity on the one hand and unemployment on the other.
Employment loss and lack of job security will also translate to a drastic decrease in remittances, which have been a strong source of income for several developing countries, Guyana included. And this country’s current political instability will only serve to intensify the impact of the crisis on its population. In other words, things will get worse.
Part of the problem is the Covid-19 began to escalate at around the same time as a massive drop in the global price of oil and this is affecting other economies that rely on the extraction of this resource. As a new kid on the block, could Guyana have placed too many of her eggs in one oily basket? Time will tell if the answer to this question supports a premise reminiscent of the untenable rice sales boom during this country’s PetroCaribe pact with Venezuela.
As a country, pre-Covid-19 Guyana had not achieved a single SDG, but up to last year had been seeing good progress with four of them: including ending poverty and promoting peace, justice, and strong institutions. There is no doubt that the last four months has seen a loss of traction in both of these areas. The country’s recovery post-pandemic, therefore, is likely to be a much more uphill task than would be necessary sans the political drama. So much for the good life. It will take a lot more than open-air events and drive-in movies for Guyanese to really feel good again.
