Taking on COVID-19: The enemy of our enemy is unity

Taking on COVID-19

- Krishantha Prasad Cooray

NATIONS are best tested in times of crisis. This is when our humanity should rise over self-interest and when all differences should be put aside. This is when intellect, indefatigable energy, absolute resoluteness, and the courage and conviction to stand up and be counted all come together. This is when populations are united into nations. This is when an aggregate of individuals become a community. This is the moment of the team.

In other words, COVID-19 has created a crisis which has to be dealt with collectively or not at all. When an infected person conceals the fact, it is criminal. When individuals act on their own steam, even with the best of intentions, it can make matters worse. Needless to say when anyone tries to make capital out of a crisis it is absolutely disgraceful, whether it is someone trying to exploit vulnerability to make a quick buck or a politician trying to get an edge over rivals.

At times like this it is tempting for the Opposition to complain that what needs to be done is not being done, go into a prescriptive mode and even rant and rave. But this is not the time to quibble over trivialities. There’s a difference between politically motivated tirades and constructive criticism. The opposition needs to remain supportive of the government until the crisis has passed.

The onus, of course, is on the Government. It is easy to find fault, but we need to understand that it is a challenge unlike anything any government has had to deal with. We can only hope that errors will be rectified quickly and effectively, and that the overall response is a product of the best minds and best hearts in the country, working in concert.