Postponing election good for country

THE EDITOR: The insistence of the Government to hold the general election on August 10 in the midst of a continuing or second phase of the covid19 pandemic leaves many raised eyebrows and even more questions.

Since many restrictions or protocols have been put in place to prevent the spread of the virus or flatten the curve of infections, two pertinent questions must be asked:

1) If there is stay-at-home advice to minimise social interaction, then how come people are being asked to come out in droves to cast their ballots within a 12-hour period at polling stations?

2) If gatherings are now reduced to just ten people at one place at the same time, how are the scores or even hundreds of people milling around a small area such as a school or other polling station to be controlled?

Certainly the insistence in having the election on the given date seems to be in direct contradiction of the advice given by the Ministry of Health to stay at home and keep a physical distance of six feet from another person.

Perhaps a postponement of the election will not only auger well for flattening the curve but also for the country at large. For years the country has been waiting but only recently are we seeing our MPs, we are seeing roads paved, community centres and fishing facilities opened, hospitals opened, houses and apartments handed over, social assistance ramped up and sod-turned all over the place. We need more of this.

WKS HOSEIN

Chaguanas