Displaying items by tag: Government

The Maldives is Asia's smallest country by area and population, known for its lucrative tourism industry. Despite tourism, it is an extremely closed country which boasts of being 100 percent Islam and heavily represses Christian influence. Only a handful of secret believers live in the country, which is regarded as ‘fertile ground for recruitment’ to radical Islam. Dozens of Maldivians have joined IS. The 2019 elections had a surprising result when opposition leader Ibrahim Mohamed Solih defeated the former president Abdulla Yameen, who now faces corruption charges. The new government has begun reforms. Give praise for the shake-up in the government. Pray that this may shake up the nation’s repressive laws and human rights abuses. Conversion to Christianity results in a loss of citizenship. Churches and Christian gatherings do not officially exist, and believers live in fear of being discovered. Pray for safety and religious freedom in the Maldives.

On 10 May Boris Johnson will announce plans to ease lockdown restrictions. High Street retailers want to hear how they might reopen. There will be bargains as managers try to shift stock. People are wondering if they will be able to meet friends and family. Will small groups of friends or relatives meet in a small group or in ‘bubbles’? Recently a grandmother asked a Downing Street briefing if being able to hug her grandchildren would be among the first changes. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that her question ‘brought home the emotional impact’ of lockdown, and he hoped she could do it ‘as soon as possible’. Pray for God to direct every decision made by our leaders as they plan the various stages of our nation’s future. Pray for company bosses rethinking how premises and equipment are shared as they organise safe walking routes in offices, on factory floors and building sites.

Boris Johnson has said, ‘The UK is at the moment of maximum risk in the coronavirus outbreak’. Speaking outside No 10 for the first time since recovering from the virus, he said we are now beginning to ‘turn the tide’ on the disease. But he refused to ‘throw away’ the public's ‘effort and sacrifice’ by relaxing the lockdown too soon. We can pray for God to continue to give him strength and stamina as he returns to work. Pray that he paces himself and has the discernment to acknowledge when to allow others to carry burdens for him. May God’s wisdom direct him in every decision and give him heaven’s strategies for the next phase. Pray also for MPs, advisors, civil servants, scientists, and economists to adopt workable policies. Let us also ask our Father in heaven to unite the members of every political party as they work towards unlocking the United Kingdom.

Two major business groups have written to the governments in Dublin and Belfast to urge coordination in the recovery from coronavirus. The CBI and its Irish equivalent, Ibec, said that an economic reboot will need ‘the highest level of cooperation, coordination and joined-up thinking’. They highlighted the importance of integrated supply chains across the border and Irish Sea, stopping short of requesting a synchronised exit from the lockdown. There have been political differences at Stormont on the level to which an all-island approach should be taken to coronavirus. The two groups say that it is in everyone's interests to have experts on both sides of the border regularly communicating on their respective plans for economic revival and recovery, including all-island business and cross-border employment. They add, ‘It would be helpful and worthwhile for parallel conversations to take place between the two islands, with the North-South Ministerial Council and the British-Irish council providing appropriate formal frameworks for such discussions’.

China filed a patent for a drug seen as one of the best potential weapons against coronavirus the day after Beijing confirmed coronavirus was transmissible to humans. The revelation that it moved so fast fuels concerns about a cover-up of the pandemic when it erupted and suggests that China’s understanding of the virus was far more advanced than the impression given in public. The chairman of the US foreign affairs select committee joined the growing global call for a full, independent inquiry into China’s role, saying, ‘It is quite clear there is an awful lot that we do not know about the emergence of this disease and the responses to it. We all need to learn the lessons of the outbreak so that the international community can respond better in the future.’ Leaked documents showed that China’s officials knew they faced an epidemic but delayed warning the public for six days.

There are 15,517 care homes in England, and 200 hospitals. HC-One, operating 350 homes, had 311 coronavirus deaths. The Methodist Homes Association reported 210 deaths in 131 homes. However the official statistics at the same point recorded only 217 coronavirus deaths in care homes in England and Wales. Pray for the Care Quality Commission to investigate and update recorded deaths daily from the 15,517 residential and nursing homes. Care workers see up to twenty clients during a shift. The Government's advice to residential care is almost the same as for hospital workers: single-use disposable gloves, aprons, and face masks. Pray for speedy delivery of these nationally. The government now promises that care home residents who develop symptoms will be tested. Care providers are reporting at least a quarter of their staff in isolation. Pray that the Government is able to keep its promise to recruit 20,000 social care staff by July and test the vulnerable for coronavirus.

The Eurozone is in a deep recession. Unemployment figures are spiking to unprecedented highs and debt levels are soaring. It is an economic crisis on a scale not seen since the Second World War, or the Great Depression. Onlookers have watched individual countries retreat into national self-righteousness and mutual finger-pointing in a very un-united attitude that threatens the survival of the EU and will not solve anything. Then, finally, after weeks of wrangling, EU finance ministers managed to reach a deal - to the relief of most. Let us pray that the €500 billion package to help countries hardest hit by the pandemic will succeed in implementing an economic plan. See also

On 8 April Rishi Sunak announced that the Government has promised an extra £750 million coronavirus funding for frontline charities across the UK. The support package will ensure that they can continue their vital work during the coronavirus outbreak. The Government will also match funds with whatever the public decides to donate to the BBC’s Big Night In charity appeal on 23 April, starting with a contribution of at least £20 million to the National Emergencies Trust appeal. Mr Sunak said, ‘Our charities are playing a crucial role in the national fight against coronavirus, supporting those who are most in need. It is right that we do everything we can to help the sector during this difficult time.’ Among the charities that will benefit will be those supporting domestic abuse victims, end of life hospices, foodbanks, those delivering food or essential medicines, and those providing financial advice. Pray for the administration between departments identifying priority recipients to flow smoothly and speedily.

In this crisis, the Government has released 350 people from immigrant detention. But hundreds more are still being held in removal centres, pending ‘imminent’ deportation; human rights charities are calling for them all to be released. On 25 March the High Court was told by Detention Action that under British law the Government cannot continue to detain these people if they are not about to deport them. The case is vital as detainees are particularly vulnerable to coronavirus, living in big groups and unable to take ‘social distancing’ measures. They are living in unsanitary and unsafe conditions, with people displaying symptoms of the virus kept in the detainee population, and some even undertaking functions such as cleaning or serving food.

Many people over 70, pregnant women, and those with underlying health conditions are now in voluntary lockdown, taking personal responsibility to stay away from potential infection. Continue to pray for their protection and peace of mind. The nation should avoid gatherings and crowded places, including pubs, clubs, theatres, underground and even the workplace if they can work from home. Pray for a calm response to these government requests. Most schools are shut ‘to reduce social contact throughout society’. Children of ‘key workers’ and those who receive free meals or depend on school for food and security will be catered for in some classrooms with a skeleton staff. Pray for any ‘anomalies’ in these provisions to be speedily resolved, for example teachers who are parents with school children at home. Pray for wise government strategies and for parents presented with childcare issues. Some stay-at-home parents will struggle financially. May government provisions be adequate for these and other vulnerable groups.