Letter of the Day | COVID-19 response must be Jamaica-centric

THE EDITOR, Madam:

For some persons, the choice is between death by hunger and death by coronavirus. Some have decided to take their chances with the virus. That perspective must guide the measures we put in place and how we refer to persons as ‘stupid’ because they choose to go outside to earn so they can feed themselves and their families. How many of our people can last two weeks without hustling?

Our response to COVID-19 has to be Jamaica-centric and take into account our people and their conditions. How are we asking people to isolate and remain socially distant when they don’t have adequate water, money, or food?

There are many people who can’t just stay inside for prolonged periods for various reasons: they may not have somewhere to live; they may need to earn to feed themselves so they don’t die of hunger or get kicked out because they can’t pay rent; they may live in abusive or miserable homes; they may live in small, cramped, or dense spaces with many persons ( e.g., 10 persons living in a one-bedroom studio); or they may be emotionally and mentally stressed due to a lack of money, etc, causing friction in the home.

I’m not saying people shouldn’t stay home and adhere to the rules, but I want us to understand that person’s perspectives are shaped by their realities and their behaviour by their beliefs.

Some individuals’ living conditions just do not allow them to do what we are asking them to do. There are people who are not as privileged, and it’s easy to call them irresponsible or stupid because their conditions are not our own. We must, however, be mindful that our education and privilege put us in a position to uplift, not degrade. So while we rally for compliance and safety for all, can we show some empathy and sensitivity?

Stacia Alicia