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Balancing health against wealth: can we save both the people and the economy?

22 Aug 2021

Image Caption - A lone daily wage earner amidst the empty streets of Pettah yesterday (22) By Sumudu Chamara The figures publicised by the health authorities only show the number of new Covid-19 cases and related deaths. However, behind those statistics lies the larger tragedy of how the pandemic has affected people’s lives. The truth is that the pandemic is no longer just a matter of health; it is a matter of the country’s economy, people’s peace of mind, and the future of jobs and social security.  The Government claims that this, more or less, is the reason it decided to go for a lockdown, or “quarantine curfew” as it is being officially referred to, with few restrictions, especially on essential services and businesses. Quarantine curfew  Just as with all other lockdowns and travel restrictions imposed in the last one-and-a-half-years, the quarantine curfew that came into effect on Friday night came in the form of an abrupt announcement, while the sectors that would be allowed to operate during the quarantine curfew were announced on several occasions by persons representing the Government, health sector, and Covid-19 management efforts. Even though these statements were slightly different, compared to previous similar restrictions, this time, more sectors have been permitted to continue operating.  Earlier, Cabinet Spokesman and Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that essential services will be allowed to operate during the quarantine curfew, while National Operation Centre for Prevention of the Covid-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) head, Army Commander General Shavendra Silva, later said that in addition to essential services, construction, agriculture, apparel, pharmaceutical and media sectors will be allowed to continue their work.  Later, the health authorities presented a more comprehensive list of the sectors allowed to operate, which included grocery shops, supermarkets and bakeries (limited to delivery services), banks (for limited financial transactions), transport (only for essential/permitted sectors, urgent medical requirements and delivery services), farming and fishing activities (within district boundaries), media institutions, and workplaces coming under the Board of Investment (BOI) and the Export Development Board (EDB) workplaces.  Allowing more sectors to operate during the quarantine curfew, according to certain members of the government, is aimed at maintaining the country’s economy uninterrupted, as Sri Lanka’s economy is not in a position to sustain a complete lockdown. However, this move was criticised by many, especially trade unions representing the health sector and various industries.  Guidelines and reality  According to the Ceylon Mercantile, Industrial, and General Workers’ Union (CMU), a leading trade union in the country, the decision taken by the government to permit industries such as the apparel industry to operate during the quarantine curfew could put the workers’ in danger, since employers are more concerned about continuing productions and making profits than about adhering to the guidelines issued by the government and the health authorities. Speaking to The Morning, CMU General Secretary Sylvester Jayakody added that conducting tests and following Covid-19 safety measures is at a poor state in some workplaces and some workplaces are packed with workers, and that in such a context, requiring apparel sector workers to report to work without leaving them any other option is unacceptable.  “Ensuring safety at some workplaces especially in apparel sector factories is not happening even remotely properly; they do not maintain at least half a meter between two persons and these factories are packed,” he said. He questioned the decision to allow apparel factories to continue: “There are workplaces where a lot of people work at one place, and as if the quarantine curfew does not apply to these workers, they have been required to report to work. But who is going to take responsibility for their health and safety? Should it be the Government, President or the employer? We are concerned about the travel restrictions being applicable only to some. If the Covid-19 pandemic continues to kill people in future as the Government claims, then this measure would be tantamount to murdering people.  “Even if Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests and Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) conducted on some of these workers come negative, there are no adequate reasons to think that these results are completely accurate, and the statements made by some in the health sector are questionable. For example, the President, President’s Spokesman, Army Commander and doctors make contradictory statements, leaving the people confused, while the Police, President’s media division and the health authorities issue differing circulars. Laws and regulations are such that in the future, the working people will have to continue to go to work, while a selected group of others are allowed to stay at home. We have seen instances where even pregnant women were called to work. Due to the present situation, workers are suffering from every side.”  Jayakody added that Bangladesh, a country that depends heavily on apparel exports, has seen measures to continue work during the pandemic in a smooth manner, and that Sri Lanka should learn from that country. Also he stressed the media’s responsibility in raising awareness and conveying accurate information about the pandemic.  Informal sector  According to trade unions, after the apparel sector, it was the informal sector that was affected most due to the pandemic and lockdowns, and the Government needed to take measures to urgently address their issues.  This was stated by Protect Union General Secretary Kalpa Madhuranga, who stated that the informal sector workers’ livelihoods were disrupted due to the lockdowns imposed before and that the ongoing lockdown was imposed in a context where they could barely resume their jobs.  “Only around 30% of domestic workers were able to resume their occupation after the previous lockdowns, and most of the workers still have not been able to start their jobs again. Even the self-employed, who are a little more stable economically, cannot travel to sell their products. The worst part is, even if they manage to travel, consumers are not in a position to buy things because they also do not have money these days.” However, to assist those whose livelihoods were affected due to the quarantine curfew, the government announced plans to give an allowance of Rs. 2,000 to them. The Ministry of Finance has instructed the District Secretaries to prepare a list of eligible recipients of this allowance, which is to be distributed this week.  Adding that most of those who lost their income owing to the quarantine curfew are informal sector workers, Madhuranga said that an allowance of Rs. 2,000 is not at all adequate, and when looking at the manner the Rs. 5,000 allowance was given during lockdown periods before, there is a doubt about the extent to which the people would benefit from such a scheme. He stated that the authorities should pay attention to giving an adequate allowance to informal sector workers until the pandemic situation stabilises and the informal sector workers are able to resume their occupations.  “Since the country was reopened after April, informal sector workers have been suffering and they are not in a position to make commitments for the country even though the governments requested them to. They have hit the rock bottom, and Rs 2,000 is not nearly enough for them to survive. Even though there are informal sector workers who still manufacture various products, they cannot transport or sell their products, and their products have not received the necessary recognition from the reverent parties. We have informed the authorities of the existing issues in writing, but we are still awaiting concrete measures to address these issues.  Speaking of allowances, Jayakody also stated that the Government must save the money it spends unnecessarily, and use that money to support the people whose livelihoods were affected due to the quarantine curfew.  When asked whether any specific job category can be identified as the most affected informal sector jobs, Madhuranga responded that almost all job categories have been affected, because there are no proper legal provisions or a system to empower informal sector workers to face such situations. The only exception would be businessmen/entrepreneurs who belong to the informal sector due to the nature of their businesses but have a comparatively stable income, according to him.  He added that the plight of Covid-19-affected informal sector workers has been acknowledged by the last year’s annual report of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL).  It reads: “Exposing the deep-rooted vulnerabilities, informal employment was severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Amidst the containment measures taken to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, the informal sector was severely affected due to the disruptions to their capacity to earn a living. As the informal sector employment is not covered by any social protection scheme, they remain the most susceptible category in the labour force to fall below the poverty line in distress situations needing temporary income support. As such, social protection measures targeted towards the large informal employment of the country are key in improving the wellbeing of people in the sector.”  Madhuranga added that acknowledging the issues is not enough and that the authorities should actually implement proper programmes to address these issues.  He also said that even though elderly and vulnerable informal sector workers, especially who have to travel due to the nature of their occupation, should be vaccinated, as they are at risk. However, he noted that they do not wish to interfere in the health authorities plans with regard to the vaccination priority list.  Even though The Morning attempted to contact Labour Commissioner General Prabath Chandrakeerthi, to query as to whether the Labour Department would be taking any action to monitor whether workplaces adhere to Covid-19 safety guidelines, he was not reachable.  The fact of the matter is, like any other country, Sri Lanka too will have to learn to live with the pandemic, and it is a gradual process. However, the trick is, the government and the health authorities have to see to it that the Covid-19 situation does not affect this gradual transition and that the transition does not worsen the Covid-19 situation. As those who spoke with us noted, people’s job security/country’s economy and people’s health are equally important. Balancing the two will enable the people to live in proper “new normal” conditions. 


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