Are we there yet?
Last week, we saw partial re-opening of schools and now some students are back in class for the first time in over five months.
The easing of some coronavirus pandemic restrictions is a welcome relief to many. The new normal has been hard, boring and at times unadaptable. When the day breaks, the wish which reigns in the minds of many people is when are we going to return to normalcy.
The daily updates and readings on the Covid-19 situation as provided by the Ministry of Health (MoH) have recently begun to offer some hope. The number of new cases continues to drop each day just like the number of deaths while the number of recoveries is increasing.
That in itself gives hope that maybe, just maybe, we may win this battle sooner than we had imagined. Our lives have been on hold for too long. While other sectors are still operating amid observing the Covid-19 preventive measures, others are in complete shutdown.
For those we are talking of a full seven months of inactivity. This situation is even worse for those who earn their living through what they do. Those that do not wait for a salary at the end of the month.
Our local creatives have been kept on mute for seven months now. If there is one sector that has felt the full brunt of this pandemic then it has to be the creative industry.
One even shivers when you begin to imagine how some are making it. Their space for survival keeps shrinking every day. Individuals who are partially operating are struggling too because of the far-reaching effects of the pandemic, what more with those who are completely inactive?
It was not surprising that when politicians got busy in the run-up to the court-ordered fresh presidential polls, running through the breadth and width of the country campaigning, some performers threw caution to the wind too and started live performances.
It is not like they are careless, but they too need to earn something for their survival. They are squeezed just like anyone else. They too need some breathing space.
Following the announcement of the partial reopening of schools, the creatives echoed their wish to resume live performances again. I don’t know if the yardstick used to determine reopening schools can also apply to the other sectors.
And the MoH has categorically stated that government hasn’t given a nod yet for the resumption of live performances. My heart bleeds for artists in the country. I wish there was a way out of this as soon as yesterday.
And then…
Impakt Events Management, organisers of the Sand Music Festival, have announced the dates of the event for this year. This is despite the uncertainty surrounding the opening up of the country still hovering over us.
The SandFest will be celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Reaching such a mark passes for a memorable event. It would be really unfortunate if everyone associated with the event through the years will be denied the opportunity to celebrate this milestone.
The organisers have found themselves between a rock and a hard place. In all fairness, you need to appreciate the gamble that they have taken in going ahead to announce the dates for the traditional music fest.
They are riding on the huge hope that the battle against the pandemic will be won between now and then. They must have wished for so many things to happen during this event and given the circumstances, I don’t think all that will be possible.
If they can still salvage something then be it. Fun seekers were excited with the news and that’s a signal how much they earn for that fun. We pray that Covid-19 goes fast so we can witness the SandFest at 10 years old.
