Interview with Gafoor Yakub, successful businessman and current chairman of Nouvobanq,on his views on the current health pandemic: |27 April 2020

Gafoor Yakub

‘Government must not bow to economic and social pressure to lift the lockdowns prematurely’

Seychelles NATION: Firstly, what’s your general view about the way the COVID-19 is being handled?

Gafoor Yakub: We all know how difficult it is to get people to stay indoors for a prolonged period. But it’s important for us to listen to our health experts. The government must not bow to economic and social pressure to lift the lockdowns prematurely. Otherwise such a move could allow COVID-19 to return. The health authorities have done a marvellous job so far.

Let’s have a gradual relaxation of restrictions from mid-May because by then we should start seeing a deceleration or decline. Maybe the authorities could start by allowing the S4 & S5 back to school as they have to prepare for their IGCSE exams in November. Local processing and manufacturing industries should also be allowed to resume work as long as the social distancing rules are maintained.

Seychelles NATION: What’s going to happen if the lockdown is lifted all of sudden rather than gradually?

Gafoor Yakub: I am concerned that if that happens on May 4, people may rush out of their homes with the Seychelles National flag, celebrating as if we’ve won a war and talking about how blessed we are as a small archipelago of islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean. We are likely to forget that we have not completely destroyed the virus but merely tried to limit its spread.

I am also concerned that those youngsters with cars are likely to get into their vehicles and “hoot’ their horns as they cruise around town or the districts and drink themselves silly. They are likely to forget the fact that we can’t altogether abandon social distancing and that the COVID-19 virus may still be out there. Let’s hope and pray that this doesn’t happen. But one never knows. That’s why we need to be careful.

I am anxious that if the health authorities allow all of us to go back to work, businesses are going to start working at their normal scheduled office hours and some, especially those who are in the processing and manufacturing sectors, are likely to push for overtime work to cover the back orders left unattended over the lockdown period. Of course, the frequency of the SPTC bus service will have to be increased to cope with this.

Social distancing has been difficult to enforce voluntarily. So maybe the health authorities should consider allowing only 50% of the workforce to go to work for one week and then take turns so that the other half can come to work the following week. That may be a halfway solution to observing a reasonable level of social distancing, but it is definitely better than doing nothing.

Seychelles NATION: So, what do you suggest we do?

Gafoor Yakub: (1)Let’s act wisely and avoid going out unless it’s for a specific essential purpose. Follow all the personal hygiene instructions prescribed over the last several weeks. This is not the end of the virus. As someone said on the internet and on TV and I quote “This is only the beginning of the end.”

(2)      Let’s educate and spread awareness about the after-effects to those people who do not have access to accurate, factual information.

(3)      I am confident that the Health Commissioner and his team will down-size the lockdown in stages or in a phased manner as they see fit. We may not all like it but we have to bite the bullet and adhere to it.

We have to be prepared for a “new normal”—practice personal hygiene, social distancing, etc. wherever we are. I think if we genuinely understand the seriousness of the issue and come together as a nation in these times of crisis, we can make a difference in saving the lives of our citizens.