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Letters | Coronavirus pandemic will leave a changed world, its people must learn to adapt
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Why you can trust SCMP
The world will never be the same again after the coronavirus pandemic subsides. It will lay bare who we really are. Trust between people and nations will be damaged, perhaps never to be restored to pre-crisis levels. The crisis accentuated economic unlimited wants chasing limited resources. Compounded by huge disruptions in supply chains of just about everything, the ugliness of each man for himself has come to the fore.
There must be ways to hold irresponsible actors to account to the world community at large. While economic losses can be compensated, lives lost cannot. Human errors aggravated the fallout, which could have been prevented by timely coordinated actions. Those responsible should be suspended from participating in the world system of trade and finance until the global community is ready co-opt them once again. An unreserved apology is in order for the world to move on.
The virus has also revealed how dependent we are on others when sourcing supplies. Overzealous outsourcing makes us vulnerable. It hands over our basic security to foreign agents, who may not share our sentiments during emergencies.
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In fact, some countries may impose export bans to serve their own needs first. Perhaps, we should set up a common pool of essentials for subscribers to a world system so that common risks can be faced together.
International organisations should sharpen their reading of the situation on the ground. What is the use of them if timely advisories are not forthcoming? Nations depend on them to take appropriate action.
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