Radio Erena: 04 January 2021
Horse-drawn carriages and rickshaws have been banned in Asmara in a move that is said to have been enforced in an effort to tackle the Coronavirus pandemic. The alternative modes of transport had been in use until their ban after all public buses and taxis had ceased operations for over nine months.
The ban comes into effect as part of the latest restrictions imposed by the government.
Horse-drawn carriages have been in service, moving people and goods in the absence of forms of public transport. Most importantly, they had also been used to transport the sick and expecting mothers to medical facilities.
Despite government guidelines hinting that the country’s Ministry of Health was looking into the issue, no form of transportation has yet become available for the sick. Sources indicate there have been numerous sightings of patients being piggybacked to hospital as a result.
In other news, the state-run newspaper, ‘Haddas Eritrea’ which has only had an online presence for nearly three months after it ceased publications has now halted all operations in conjunction with the latest restrictions.
Serving as the government’s mouthpiece, ‘Haddas Eritrea’ had been the only 12-page newspaper in circulation for the last 20 years. Its contents had been downsized to four pages after swapping the traditional print for online before finally ceasing operations.
===================
COMMENTS