In Facing COVID-19: People Before Profits

Statement by the Revolutionary Socialists

Despite the suspension of schools, halting of flights, and reducing the presence of workers in the public and government sectors, as well as various other measures the state has taken to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, these steps are still insufficient to address the imminent dangers if the virus spreads further, especially given the modest capabilities of the healthcare sector.
Class biases and the state’s security-oriented choices still obstruct the adopting of more radical and effective measures to confront this crisis.

A few days ago, the government issued a set of economic decisions to mitigate the pandemic’s economic impact. These included reducing the prices of natural gas and electricity, freezing and not increasing electricity prices for industrial use for three to five years, allocating one billion pounds to exporters during March and April, postponing the payment of property taxes due on industrial and tourist establishments for three months, reducing the stamp duty in the stock market, and reducing the tax on capital gains distribution, in addition to other incentives. This is happening while the prices of protective and disinfecting supplies are soaring for ordinary people, and hundreds of thousands are losing their sources of income due to the exceptional measures to combat the pandemic without compensation from the state.

We have also witnessed the private sector’s greed and employers’ insistence on workers’ attendance, resulting in crowded public transportation and potential hotspots for the spread of the virus. Additionally, we have seen the state’s insistence on not implementing the escalating demands to reduce overcrowding in detention centers and prisons by immediately releasing all those held in pretrial detention and those who have served half of their sentences with any humane guarantees decided by the court.

Therefore, we call on all political and social forces to unite behind a package of demands we see necessary if the state is serious about confronting the danger of the spread of the pandemic in Egypt.
Our Demands:

Reduce Overcrowding in Prisons: Implement measures to allow social distancing, cleanliness, and disinfection, which can only be achieved by expanding the release of pretrial detainees, those who do not pose a threat to society, and those whose presence in prisons poses a risk to them, such as the elderly and those with chronic illnesses.

Nationalize Private Health Facilities: Temporarily nationalize private health facilities and intensive care units to support efforts to combat the pandemic.

Utilize Hotels and Tourist Facilities: To combat the pandemic and its potential spread, use hotels and tourist facilities.

Impose a Special Tax: Impose a one-time special tax of 1% on all individuals with wealth exceeding 2 million pounds to support efforts to combat the pandemic.

Suspend Religious Gatherings: Suspend religious gatherings and group prayers in places of worship.
Provide Free Protective Supplies: Distribute protective and disinfecting supplies and personal hygiene products to low-income families for free through ration cards.

Support Virus Testing: Government support for virus testing to make it accessible to everyone.
Paid Leave for Parents: Provide paid leave for heads of families with children as long as schools remain closed, including in the private sector.

Work-from-Home Policies: Mandate the private sector to temporarily allow employees to work from home without wage reduction.

Financial Support for Daily Workers and Unemployed: Provide financial support of no less than 1500 pounds per month per person for daily wage workers and the unemployed to enable the temporary suspension and disinfection of the metro and public transportation.

Suspend Utility Bills: Suspend the collection of utility bills not only to alleviate the burden on families but also to reduce the risk of infection to bill collectors and their potential virus transmission. Additionally, alleviate the burden of housing rents.

These demands aim to protect the most vulnerable and ensure that the measures taken to combat the pandemic do not disproportionately harm the poor and marginalized.