These are interesting and scary times. In this article, Victor Restis, a Greek shipping magnate, pointed out that the spread of the virus globally affected the global shipping market and vessel operations. The world came to a screeching halt because of COVID-19, then re-opened, causing a second surge in coronavirus cases as the world marches past 10 million people infected by this crazy virus.
The U.S. economy took a huge hit, but thankfully is rebounding thanks to our current administration’s laser focus on job creation and bringing manufacturing jobs back to the United States. This idea is touched upon in the article as a way to diversify manufacturing, which would strengthen supply chains and eliminate single points of failure or product hoarding by individual countries.
I can’t even wrap my head around what global agencies like the WHO are doing during times like this. I would think that their global network of scientists, doctors, nurses, support staff, and boots on the ground would have stopped the spread of this, or any virus dead in its tracks how this virus slipped through the fingers of the Chinese Communist Party and the WHO baffles me. Should have never happened. It is the alleged corruption and cover-up by these two entities that makes me think the global supply chain needs to be re-configured. No nation should solely depend on another for critical supplies, and manufacturing should be re-distributed to other countries around the world. A move like this would take years, even decades, to complete, but would also bolster economies and create more jobs in countries that desperately need them. Wow, how great would that be. Can the world come together to create a fair and balanced system of manufacturing, imports, and exports where everybody benefitted financially, even those on the frontlines? Well, ideas like that will never get far because those at the top would never let success, or fair pay, trickle down to those carrying the lion’s share of the work. I only hope that the WHO gets back on track because the world needs them.
I am proud of people like Victor Restis, who seemed to lead his shipping company through some treacherous waters. Breaks in the supply chain are no laughing matter, and as bad as this virus is, it could have been so much worse. Supply chains, though, seemingly faced challenges as pointed out by Mr. Restis, but did not falter, and not once were people suffering to get food and supplies from their local grocery stores (except for toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and rubbing alcohol).
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