This week we asked business people in Linden to compare last year with 2009 and give us their projections for this year. Their comments follow:
Ulric Harry – Harry’s Butcher Shop: ‘The year 2010 was really bad when compared to 2009 when things were much better. Generally sales slumped about 40% and I think the reason for this was the economic situation the world over. Unemployment in this community is one of the things that contributed to that for sure. I really hope that things will pick up this year. At a glance it seems like an uphill task but then again it is too early to tell. We will have to wait and see what happens in the first quarter before we can really say what will happen for the rest of the year.’
Mala Brijlall – Mala’s Variety: ‘Last year business was reasonable for me it was not at its best but reasonable I can safely say. I cannot say that it was better than 2009, but to say the best it was reasonable. This year is pretty young but I would be looking forward for even better business this year. The fact that money was not circulating was the reason for things being worse in 2010 compared to 2009 and as everybody know there is no jobs available for people here. Things could pick up depending on the availability of jobs especially for the youths out there.’
Levoy Watts – Levoy’s Variety Store: ‘Business was a little ticklish towards the end of 2010 in the sense that business went very low sales-wise. However, it picked up a little in December. It was extremely bad in the early part and got worse coming down to October/November. 2009 wasn’t that bad despite the fact that business was slow as well but it was definitely better than 2010. The thing that saved us a lot was the school vouchers and the back-to-school sales other than that it was really slow. For 2011 I don’t know, I cannot predict but for the starting it is looking fairly good because persons are doing some amount of shopping for school.’
Norvil Fredricks – Fredco Photo Studio: ‘One of the things I have seen in 2010 was a very tough year for business. I, like many business persons who you might have heard complaining, have seen a significant decline in business. While the rest of the world might be recovering from the economic collapse or the economic shock, I think we are now feeling the brunt of it. It was said that Guyana was exempt but for some reason we are now feeling that brunt of it. All over you go you find businesses are complaining and the thing is that people have less spending power and so many of our customers are going overseas. You go to Facebook and you see all the customers you had three to four years ago; now it’s new people we are depending on. So it’s not just spending power but mass migration as well from this country. I don’t see 2011 as a year that is going to turn things around. I am bracing myself for tougher times this year.’
June Cumberbatch – The Stationery and Variety Store: ‘2010 was a bit challenging, there were some ups and down but we just have to keep trying despite the given challenges. While we had just got started in 2009, 2010 was somewhat good. In 2010 we were settled, we had the stock that customers wanted. The strategy that we employed was to keep stocking what the people wanted and not hold on dead stock. These times are not for luxury items. What was more challenging for us was in the education sector where they were making changes in the curriculum. We found that we had stocked things that we thought they needed. They started in July with a book list and when the children got into school in September there was another book list.’
Basil Jaipaul – River View Shopping Centre: ‘For me personally I think that 2009 was much better than 2010. I am doing the Western Union business and judging from the remittances, once the people get the remittance they would spend, and this year was not so hot like last year. I guess also because of all the financial troubles they had world-wide especially in the United States of America, that was the main reason for that decline. I do think it should get better this year because things have started to smoothen out now and I think that should position us to do better this year.’
Dillan Thompson – Dillan Sewing Establishment: ‘It was easy to assess the level of business in 2010 and 2009. 2010 was indeed the worse of the two years. I can clearly recall having four staff employed along with myself in 2009 and during that year we had more work that we could have handled. In 2010 it was just myself and one staff and some days there was nothing to do. In my estimation the recession that had hit the developed world had a spin-off effect on us. In 2009 persons were seen doing their usual bulk shopping at the month end and last year that was cut by more than 60%. The bauxite industry has gone through some amount of decline and persons found it challenging to even get a job. We can only hope and pray for a brighter 2011 with faith in God, hard work and a people that work together we can make a change in 2011.’
Errol DeSouza – Putigee Greens and Fruits Point: ‘2010 was not as bright as 2009 it could have been a lot better if there was some improved employment in the community. So many of our people are out of jobs they can’t get money to shop. What happen in 2010 at periods when you would have expected prices to go down they kept going up. I don’t know if it was because of the rise in the cost for fuel worldwide but the prices for fruits and vegetables kept going up in 2010. With the excess rain that we are experiencing now, it is likely that the situation would not change this year. Cabbage which I usually source right here in Linden is out and so it means travelling long distances to get and there goes the price.’
Emanuel Archibald – Archie’s Milk and Variety Shop: ‘For the first half of 2010 business went down tremendously but for the latter part it started to show an upward climb. In all fairness things was much better in 2009. The economic crisis experienced in the developed world had some effect on the spending powers of persons here. Persons who depended on support from overseas did not get it as usual. The people there were not earning so they couldn’t send. 2011 are lucky numbers so I am hoping they bring us good fortune. In spite of the poor year I must still thank all my customers for their support in 2010.’