The Tribune

With Charlie Harper

WE are all too familiar with the devastating effects of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic on families here and in every country. Statisticians and historians probably will need years if not decades to calculate the loss and damage.

In The Bahamas we have also felt the economic burden of the pandemic, perhaps more so than in many nations given our reliance on tourism.

It is natural to resent the travel restrictions between The Bahamas and the US. Hopefully as vaccination rates rise in both countries and some degree of normal two-way travel resumes, we can recover a normal economic and social life.

International border and travel restriction issues are also plaguing America on its two major frontiers, for completely different reasons.

On its southern border with Mexico, the US is experiencing a sharp increase in illegal immigration. In response, President Joe Biden has assigned Vice-President Kamala Harris to oversee border issues. These include the resurrection of an earlier Democratic administration prescription of economic prosperity in Central America as the best deterrent to northward migration toward the US.

Maybe that will work but it hasn’t proven to be very feasible in the past. The nations lying between Costa Rica and Mexico have long been wracked by poverty, corruption, violence and a seemingly irreducible susceptibility to worldwide economic vicissitudes that foster a mentality of helplessness in policymakers.

Naturally, people in those countries want to find a better life for themselves and their families. Four years of the Donald Trump administration seemed to persuade many potential migrants to wait for a better opportunity.

Joe Biden’s election provided one. That this development caught the new administration unaware is disappointing, but Biden and Harris say they are resolved to pay attention and find solutions.

Trump and his allies are pointing to the American southern border troubles as evidence of the incompetence and unpreparedness of the current administration. They might have a point.

Much more surprisingly, the US-Canada border, by far the world’s longest non-militarized frontier, has become increasingly tense. This is because the Canadian government has for the past 16 months essentially closed its southern border with the US due to coronavirus health fears.

Discretionary travel, including tourism, remains prohibited. Before the current pandemic, Americans accounted for about two-thirds of the 22.1 million annual overnight visitors to Canada. In 2019, Americans contributed to the Canadian economy nearly half of the $23 billion from all international visitors.

Most of these Americans travelled by land, many via crossing points near Montreal, Toronto and Windsor, Ontario.

Travel statistics show border crossings from Buffalo/Niagara Falls, New York fell by 90 percent from 2019 to 2020. Local economies on both sides of the border are reeling.

Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada discussed the issue at the G7 summit in Cornwall, England last month. Trudeau told reporters that “each of us always will put at the forefront the interests and the safety of our own citizens”.

Some relaxations of Canadian restrictions are expected this month, but the responsible Canadian minister emphasized recently that his government’s hope is to reopen the border only “in the coming months”.

New York senator Chuck Shumer is pushing for a swifter reopening for those who are vaccinated and have personal or commercial ties to Canada. “I explained to (Canadian) Ambassador Kirsten Hillman how mind-boggling it is that many New Yorkers are free to travel to Europe now, but even those fully vaccinated can’t even drive a few miles north to Canada to their homes, businesses, stores, families, and properties,” he said.

Trudeau, eager to restore better US relations after a frosty relationship with Trump, might take heed.

Can England finally land a big one?

The world’s two biggest regional soccer tournaments are nearing their concluding rounds this weekend on both sides of the Atlantic. The two nations who fought each other for control of the remote Falkland Islands in 1982 are at the centre of attention.

England, the home of soccer, has famously frustrated its fans by not winning a major international tournament since its 1966 team won the World Cup. Books have been written about this long streak of futility.

Like coaches and managers everywhere who inherit a team haunted by long and nearly inexplicable losing streaks, current England manager Gareth Southgate brushes aside questions about the Three Lions’ 55-year skein.

Southgate told reporters recently that “I tell my team that when you go out there, in this shirt, you have the opportunity to produce moments that people will remember forever. You are a part of an experience that lasts in the collective consciousness of our country.”

 On Tuesday the English squad gave its fans a real jolt of hope for this year’s COVID-delayed European Championship title. With clever second-half goals from Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling and Tottenham’s Harry Kane, the English defeated Germany 2-0.

 The result was unexpected almost to the point of being counterintuitive. Although Southgate is acknowledged to lead a deeper and more talented squad than in many recent years, the weight of the title-less streak and the burden of German prowess in world competitions weighed heavily on English shoulders prior to Tuesday’s match.

But Everton goalie Jordan Pickford outplayed his much more celebrated German counterpart Manuel Neuer and the English actually looked like possible champions in outrunning and outplaying the Germans.

 It was interesting to note recent Champions League winners Chelsea sent three likely starters to each of these teams. All three Germans played for their national team in this match; none of Chelsea’s three English qualified for any game time for Southgate’s loaded squad.

 After their defeat, the Germans joined defending champion France, clearly the world’s preeminent national team, on the sidelines. The French, who boast perhaps the best midfield pairing in the game’s history with Chelsea’s Ngolo Kante and Manchester United’s Paul Pogba, a mighty front line and an experienced defence, were bounced by Switzerland in a tense penalty shootout.

 The Dutch, Portuguese and Croatian teams were also upset. Now the path to the title game is wide open for England. The teams remaining in their bracket that they will face are Ukraine and either the Czech Republic or Denmark, inspired by the survival and recovery from cardiac arrest in an earlier game of their star midfielder Christian Ericksen.

 With all due respect to those teams, England will be properly favoured to reach this year’s final to be played at London’s Wembley Stadium.

In the other bracket, powerhouse Belgium, surprisingly resurgent Italy and regal Spain will contest with the upstart Swiss to reach the other half of the final match-up.

 Belgium is weakened by injuries to talismanic stars Eden Hazard and Kevin DeBruyne and Spain are no longer automatic favourites in any major international tourney.

It says here Italy will continue its startling hot streak and match up with England in the final next Sunday.

July 11 might just be the occasion for quite a celebration in London and all over England. Double shifts for the police all over the country will be assured after the hosts prevail.

 Meantime, at various sites in Brazil despite its continuing struggles to contain the coronavirus, the Copa America is being contested among ten South American countries. The three predominant historical powers in the region and in this 2021 competition are Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina.

The spotlight is on the latter, because the Argentines have not hoisted the champions trophy since 1993 and never in the legendary career of their mega superstar Lionel Messi. The Argentine team has regularly disappointed in international competitions during Messi’s long and illustrious career, and never so much as in this paramount Western Hemisphere test.

So far, Argentina, with a good if aging supporting cast for Messi, has performed largely as expected, though its ardent fans have nevertheless found grounds for criticism and disappointment. The team is seeded to face Brazil in next weekend’s finale, assuming it can overcome Ecuador this weekend and, likely, neighbour Uruguay in the mid-week semi-finals. Argentina has already beaten Uruguay in the early rounds of this year’s tourney.

The big match-up this weekend features Brazil and pesky Chile, a recent Copa America winner but not currently in their best form. Hosts Brazil, with dazzling Neymar leading its front line, should prevail and face Argentina for the title July 10. Messi might just get his trophy at last.