COMMENTARY: Coronavirus – the joker in the pack
By Dickson Igwe, Contributor
The coronavirus appeared at a very volatile moment in world history. In a new post the great financial recession of 2008 world, ruled by authoritarian types in Russia, China, India, Brazil, and even the supposedly freedom-loving USA, rising intolerance and racism, and a retreating global liberal democratic order, the politics of the Corona Virus, threatens massive economic, social, and political disruption.
The world could be a very different place politically after Corona. And Corona will require the cooperation of regions and countries at all levels of society, in order to beat what threatens to become a horrible pandemic.
That global cohesion is missing today, as the west diverges, with the USA, and a ‘wobbly’ European Union, increasingly going separate ways and looking inwards, and running on separate paths. And the thing about the Corona Virus is that it seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
Talk of the virus emanating from bats, and entering the human food chain in China – where bat soup is a delicacy – appears to be the present explanation for an illness that has infected thousands, killed hundreds, and is spreading rapidly across the globe from East Asia.
On February 27, 2020, a suspected case of coronavirus was observed in the British Virgin Islands of a traveler who had been to China. Thankfully that was not “the real deal”.
Panic and mayhem
But the incident showed just how easily the coronavirus matter can spread panic and mayhem. Part of the reason this virus appears to have “exploded” on the scene is that there were efforts by China to understate the threat of the virus to people, at the very beginning. This is a feature of authoritarian rule: The need for cover up to protect the myth of the invincibility of the regime.
However, this virus has no respect for dictators and cover-ups. Tragically, the despot in North Korea revealed the cold-blooded nature of his regime by executing the first North Korean Coronavirus victim. President Donald Trump appears to be following the Chinese script. The US leader is on the defensive in placing the Corona Virus on a back burner. Trump believes that understating the hugely negative impact of the Coronavirus is politically expedient. This approach – like what happened in China – could also backfire.
In China, key medical officers have been infected, and some have died. Iran’s vice president has contracted the virus. Even the Pope started to cough and splutter very suspiciously last Wednesday.
Caught flat-footed
In the USA President Donald Trump appears to have been caught flat-footed. He has appointed his Vice President Mike Pence – a man who allegedly does not believe in science – as the virus Tsar.
Trump has done this after cutting funds and resources over his first term as President, to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention- the CDC.
But a US President who is betting on an economy that is ‘’good to great’’ for his reelection, cannot ignore the fact that the Corona Virus has tanked US stocks.
US stocks fall
The DOW opened down more than 500 points on Thursday and 2500 points on the week. US stocks have fallen into a correction that is the worst fall in stock prices since the financial crisis of 2008. As of Friday, the 28th of February, $5 trillion has been wiped off US stocks.
The world’s stock and commodity markets have also taken a hit, and Corona may unleash a global recession as bad as the 2008 recession. What is even more ludicrous is that Trump’s angry base see a “coronavirus conspiracy” driven by Trump’s enemies to take him down.
Hit against Caribbean tourism
In any event the world is waking up to the threat of this virus. Here in the Caribbean governments have been banning cruise ships from docking that are suspected of harbouring the coronavirus.
This is a further pointer to a hit against Caribbean tourism. The cruise industry is a critical component of the Caribbean tourism industry. Elsewhere, cargo ships from Asia have been stopped from entering a number of western ports.
In Japan and elsewhere schools have been closed. In a highly interconnected world, the coronavirus is a joker in the global pack of cards that has the power to unleash economic and social mayhem, as never seen before.
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“In a highly interconnected world, the coronavirus is a joker in the global pack of cards that has the power to unleash economic and social mayhem, as never seen before.”
Prophecy fulfilling everyday. We are in the last days – 2 Tim. 3: 1-5. Matthew 24.
The normal student union level politics but no overt racism. Certainly some undertones of racism, but maybe this truly awful chip on his journalist has been told to cut out the overt racism.
Here we go again. The gas bag spouting his racism vilifying ever country on the planet. The US caught flat footed? Really? What exactly has the black world done to help the situation other than sit back and wait to be handed a cure. Where are all the brilliant minds? The creators of medicine? Please step forward and help us all. Igwe sit down and take a break for a few weeks. Your fingers must be tired.
Well, Mr/Ms/Mrs Gas, keep doing what you love to do. But we in the black world observe that your suicide rates are increasing, as everything you think is yours alone is slowly being taken away.
What would Mr. Nigel Farage say? “You won’t be laughing anymore, will you?”
When a person spouts such racist garbage week by week – they are clearly admirers of Igwe
Since you love China so much I would love you to try some of that BAT SOUP- it would probably shut your friggin mouth for good
Every frigging second, minute, hour, day, week & year y’all come on here with this “we are in the last days” nonsense. Every election year in the US there’s a disease outbreak that usually never affects most of us, especially locally but yet we feed into this low vibrational nonsense like clockwork. Life is not based around Christianity. It is not the only religion. Where is the world going to end and go? We are in the middle of a galaxy floating… where exactly are we going to go? No big bearded white man is going to descend from the clouds and punish all of us. & if it ever does happen I hope he specifically takes his believers because they are nuisances. Please get a grip, turn to spirituality & stop with the fear mongering.
You just had to get your personal animosity towards President Trump into the article. In doing so, you show your ignorance repeating incorrect information regarding funding of the CDC. Do your homework before putting pen to paper.
What is truly astounding is you’re hatred for a man who has done more for blacks than you ever will.
I bet you smell like one too
@AnalOstrich:
Over and over I keep hearing” Trump has done more for blacks” name ONE THING that Trump has done to benefit the black population of the US.There is nothing that he has done specially to benefit blacks in the US. If the US has a strong economy under Trump it benefits the entire US population not just black alone. You need to study and understand who Trump is and the hurt that he has caused backs in the US from the 1970’s onward and his behavior towards minorities has not changed since he became president. Come back to us with a list of things that he has done for blacks and we can then continue this. He is a mean, nasty,racist
person who will not and cannot change his true colors.
I would write a lot but to sum it up in one word, your a moron.
He is a moron that speaks truth that non morons have not the capacity to accept.
I am still waiting, your reply speaks volume as to the kind of person you are, all of you Trump supporters cannot stand or understand facts, your support for Trump is based on ONE THING which is RACISM toward the minorities in the US.
Longish, Trump has done criminal justice reform, Black unemployment lowest in US history. Ditto for Black poverty. Attacking abortion which has hollowed out 40% of the Black population. And he has done more which helps all Americans. Because Trump is not racist. Something that you seem to be. By the way we in the BVI benefit from Trump. Because without the incredible economy and national security that Trump has oversaw the BVI suffers. America has fought terrorism successfully. Remember the Obama recession? We suffered at that time.
Analostrich , you are so correct. Ask Alice Johnson, Jack Brewer, the many Black pastors and the historically Black colleges that have seen significant increase in funding. The funding is ongoing and no President has done this for Hocus. The list goes on. Trump is focused on the lifting ALL of those who will benefit.
In name of all that is good, positive, and right in this world …., you Sir, are the only ‘Joker’ in the damn pack!
I get that freedom of speech is critical to our society and you have your opinions that we should all respect regardless of agreeing or not, but for the love of God you wear a lot of us down with you opinion pieces!
NO one is asking you to read Igwe’s shit- there are other sites where you can read comparable columns like the Washington Post and the New York Times- O but alas you are a Daily Mail sort – I almost forgot
What is the difference between genius and stupidity? Genius is limited. Einstein
Someone beat Igwe’s haters to it this week it appears
You are so uninformed. While the communist dems were trying to impeach the greatest president of the U.S. on a hoax he was conviening a cabinet to deal with the threat of the virus. Observe that he closed the borders in January. This is why the US does not exhibit the high numbers of sick persons with the virus. Why you even have a platform is am insult to the any reader of this publication. Add to that the Republicans who already organized a rapid response team to these types of threats. Check your facts fat man.
When did Trump close the US border with Mexico? Will the Coronavirus be scared away from the Canada-US border?
You drink the stupid Republican Koolade every time- this time Corona virus will surely take your racist, orange, and stupid president, down with the rest of the Republicans- wait and see
Such hatred. America is do lucky to have a leader who rises above the hatred. By the way, do you know anything about American political history? Did you know that every member of the KKK was a Democrat.
False convenient facts. The KKK’s membership comprised of individuals from both political parties, democrats and republicans, and the broarder white non political public.
Has facts evaded you because you have not or do not read?
That’s just not true is it Bruce? Yes there were a lot of kkk members who were democrats but there were republicans too. Try google every now and then.
@Bruce
We are now in the year 2020, please inform the readers of this publication what party in the US currently has the most members of the KKK, Democrats or Republicans.
Sorry not the border per se. Trump stopped travel from China in January. Trump team was already meeting back in January.
@Bruce:
By putting Pence in charge instead of a qualified medical person, tells us how stupid your president and his republican cabinet and his followers like you are.
I’m with Igwe!!!!
I was educated in America and I am right. KKK were all Dems guys. You can find this out by looking up CL Bryant and Finest DiSouza. Also read American history in Black and White. How about this fact anti lynching laws were not outlawed until 1963 because dems blocked them. Also, Blacks were Republicans and voted until reconstruction brought on by the dems. At that time dems stripped of the right to vote. Republicans ratified the 15th amendment granting Black.men the right to vote .maybe you should concentrate on the corrupt government in the BVI. And leave America alone.
Sorry not the border per se. Trump stopped travel from China in January. Trump team was already meeting back in January.
In comedy, cards(spades, whist)……etc, the Joker is king but in Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), it is no joke. Igwe no diss intended. The Coronavirus is a serious disease and VI residents must take it SERIOUSLY. Though it may have some of the same symptoms of the flu, it is not the flu; it is more serious than the flu. It is shameful that some political leaders for political gain is downplaying the seriousness and lethality of the disease. Public health and safety must and should always take precedence over politics.
The Coronavirus is not a hoax, for thousands have already been infected and some have died; the virus is real and our common sense and political philosophy cannot cloud our judgement. Ignore the ignorance and nonsense you are hearing from some world leaders who are only concern about the stock market and political success. The Coronavirus disease if not contained and controlled can turn into an epidemic or pandemic. Let’s take the necessary precautionary measures to protect ourselves, our families, our fellow residents and our territory.
There are many theories about the genesis of the disease as there are about the aids virus. It seems as the more advanced and intellectual man becomes the more devious, evil, destructive, selfish, suicidal …….etc they become.
A sobering post and thought on this disease. Let’s take this disease seriously. An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. True, the disease is on the loose and we cannot prevent it but we can take action to prevent getting it and reduce its spread.