The erection of security barriers around the Guyana Elections Commission’s (GECOM) Office of the Returning Officer for Region Four at High and Hadfield streets, Georgetown, has resulted in businesses in the vicinity being unable to operate as normal.
Business owners there have said that since last Wednesday, they have not been able to operate as normal and one store, Silvie’s Industrial Solutions, said that their operations had to be closed entirely.
Yesterday morning, when workers arrived at the location, police ranks informed them that they are not allowed to open the store. After several pleas, they were allowed enter the building but not open to the public.
One of the directors for the store, Bramanand Persaud told Stabroek News that they are still trying to ascertain where the order came from.
“All morning [yesterday] we have been getting a push around to find out who made the order because we don’t know who made it. All we were told was that we cannot open our business… that is totally unfair to us,” Persaud said, noting that the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry has reached out to Commissioner of Police Leslie James seeking clarity on the issue.
The Police last evening said that they had issued no instruction to Silvie’s to close the business.
Persaud said that they have not been able to do any business and it is affecting the relationship they have with their customers. He explained that while they have clients who would wait for deliveries to be made, they depend heavily on walk-in customers. He related that the store specialises in spare parts for machinery and persons on a daily basis will walk in and request a replacement. It was also highlighted that the store offers onsite repairs and many customers and clients would depend on the service to repair broken parts or have their machines serviced.
“We have an active repair centre and if we cannot reach the needs of the customers they will seek to go other places like our competitors and have their item fixed…this set up is really affecting us,” Persaud stressed.
Meanwhile, an employee of G. Bacchus Enterprise – a wholesale distributor of various goods, which is located next door to the GECOM office, said that their business is affected as they are unable to function at capacity. The man said because of the barriers, he is unable to supply a large quantity of goods to his customers.
For last week, he said, they did not operate fully and were able to serve only walk in customers.
Since the barriers have been mounted, the business only opens for half of the day. Yesterday, when Stabroek News visited the entity, only one customer was in the shop and he pointed out that it is not the usual sight as the store is always busy. He also noted that sales reps have stayed home because of limited business.
