The very thing urgently needed to help battle this covid19 onslaught remains elusive. That is, unity of all sectors of society, alongside vaccines and protocols.

The unity should be in a government-opposition driven national task force comprising political parties, business, civil society groups, labour, professional groups and the university - something similar to the Chamber of Commerce's recent proposal.

The population should now be in common-purpose thinking. But first, PM Dr Rowley and Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar must get together. (Last election PNM got 322,250 votes, UNC 309,188.) Party members from each side should push upwards for such co-operation. Democratise in the nation's interest. Didn't Dr Rowley say, 'We are all in this together?' Let's set the example at the very top.

It is depressing to get up one morning and be shocked with headlines such as '16 deaths in 4 days,' or 'New covid19 cases 882' and growing or 'System 10 days from collapse.'

Then an already frightened population hears 'Eight killed in weekend of bloodshed,' or 'Decapitated body found,' or 'Man loses his wife in deadly bandit attack,' with escalating numbers of deadly home invasions.

Food shortages and hoarding here and abroad have begun.

Last year in his budget speech, Finance Minister Colm Imbert declared: 'This covid19 has made us understand how important agriculture is.'

So? We face a national catastrophe.

Dr Rowley rightly warns the population to behave. But that and lockdown are not enough. There is deepened fear. Leadership inspiration is needed to calm the fear. There is of course a lot to complain about: vaccines promised not here yet, over 120 illegal immigrants, confusion at vaccination centres, etc.

However, as common enemies, covid19 and a withering economy require a common front.

It's not easy, but both parties should now take the high ground and jointly provide a lighthouse of inspiration for the population. This will help provide moral legitimacy to managing covid19.

The government and opposition should lead off with an anti-covid19 unity meeting, followed up with the kind of national mobilisation effort mentioned above. If this is impossible then prepare to fight with 50 per cent less mobilisation and continued political bickering as the virus takes us to the precipice. The government and police appeal for citizens' help will falter.

This covid19 disaster will get worse if the politics and crisis-management conditions remain the same. There is, of course, political pride, but you cannot expect the population to behave when the country's leadership doesn't. In the face of such an unprecedented disaster, our elected politicians should not remain 'Westminster prisoners,' unable to override the adversarial barrier. The virus is marching on, relentlessly and mercilessly, mutating and spreading, especially in countries with hard-pressed finances.

India's PM Narendra Modi is being held to account for allo