Dear Editor,
As Muslims in Guyana waited anxiously for the start of the holy month of Ramadan which should be either 13 or 14 April 2021, we were greeted with some forgetful and horrific news by the Government’s COVID-19 National Task Force which ruled that there would be no feeding or should be eaten in mosques after Muslims have broken their fast after fasting for 14 hours daily with no food or water.
Editor, remember according to the protocol, each masjid is allowed 40 percent of its ability for people to pray their five daily prayers and we have to practice social isolation, sanitizing and wearing a mask, but while to all the protocols we can’t eat at the masjid after we break our fast. So ridiculous and senseless !!!
Editor, let me give you an example: Our “Dar-Ul-Takwah” massacre, after the decree by Task Force COVID-19, represented the District Six Regional Health Officer. We told her that restaurants, bars and hotels, which also have 40 percent of their capacity, are allowed to eat and drink at these establishments, so why discriminate against Muslims?
We were told that masjids are places of worship, but you cannot eat there. So senseless. God help this country.
And Editor, you know what hurts, during Ramadan there are many poor Muslims who keep looking forward to eating at the masjid, because Muslims who afford to feed every day want to a whole month.
How can this Government and its COVID-19 Task Force be so callless and car-free? And finally, what the CIOG and GIT are doing in all of this. They are supposed to represent the interest of Muslims in this country, but sad to say they have failed miserably.
Correctly,
Baccus Imtiaz
