Several Chinese businesses in central Georgetown have temporarily closed their doors due to fears over the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), which has compounded a slowdown caused by the post-elections political crisis.
Many of the businesses, which operate along Regent, Robb and King streets, were closed yesterday and are likely to remain closed for the next week.
Since the confirmation of COVID-19 here, businesses have been taking stringent measures to prevent its spread, with some opting to suspend operations.
Thousands of workers in the private sector could be affected should more move to do the same. Some are already contemplating asking staffers to proceed on leave until the situation is controlled.
Jason Wang, General Secretary of the Association of Chinese Enterprise in Guyana, told Stabroek News yesterday that business operators have decided to suspend operations because of the fears over the spread of the virus.
“They have seen what is happening in China and knowing Guyana does not have the resources to handle a possible outbreak, they have decided to close. Also they weren’t doing business the days after the elections and that led the businesses to close too,” Wang explained.
He added that many of the operators would have liked to remain open but given the current climate they took the decision to suspend.
“Last week after they did business, they said they made just enough to pay the staff. So with not much businesses being done after elections and then the virus come, so they decided to close,” he pointed out.
Wang, however, said that businesses are likely to open after next week since they cannot afford to stay closed.
“They have rent and other bills to pay, so they cannot stay closed… what they are doing now is out of fear and they are following what the other businesses around the world are doing to close for some days,” Wang added.
Both of Wang’s businesses, China Trading and Real Value Supermarket, remain in operation. He said that while there are health concerns, they have increased their sanitation activities and have equipped the stores with sanitisers and other germ killing products.
“I cannot afford to close and let my workers be out of a salary. So we have put things in place and we have been telling them that they need to sanitise their work space often,” Wang explained.
According to Wang, the association has also been educating businesses about preventative measures that they can take to prevent the spread of the virus.
“We have been giving them the information that is being shared around so they know what to do when they reopen their businesses,” he stressed.
To date, five COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in Guyana. To prevent the spread of the virus Guyana has closed the ports to incoming regional and international flights for two weeks. This move will further contribute to the tremendous blow to the tourism sector, which persons have said is likely to be affected the most by the presence of the virus.
Low occupancy
Businesses in the hospitality industry, which depend mainly on visitors, have already reported declines. Hotels are primarily serving in-house guests, including those barred from travelling, as they have seen cancellations and a low occupancy rate.
At Sleepin Hotel on Church Street, the manager, Zeena Paul, said they have begun to see the effects of the cancellations. She was unsure of how business will be affected in the coming weeks. She further explained that they have not made a decision as yet on whether they will be operating in the coming weeks.
At Brandsville Hotel in Campbell-ville, a senior employee told Stabroek News that persons have started to cancel their reservations since countries have been imposing travel restrictions. The employee explained that they were expecting a high rate of occupancy given that the Easter holiday is approaching, however she pointed out this is not possible at the moment. It is estimated that there will be a low occupancy rate over the coming weeks. The employee also pointed that management is currently in discussion on whether they will operating with a skeletal staff or full compliment.
At the Grand Coastal Hotel at Le Ressouvenir, East Coast Demerara, a front desk staffer told this newspaper that they too have been affected by the precautions taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The staffer said that like at other hotels, they have seen cancellations and noted that they, too, face temporary layoffs until the situation changes.
Most hotels are hoping that the situation does not take a turn for the worse, forcing them to lay off staff.
On Wednesday, the Roraima Group of Companies announced that it is planning to reduce staff as it projects a steep dip in income, given the closure of the airports.
The group, which offers ground handling services for American Air-lines and Eastern Airlines and which also operates domestic and charter services out of the Eugene F Correia International Airport at Ogle, East Coast Demerara, is proposing downsizing staff over a three-month period.
Roraima’s Chief Executive Gerry Gouveia explained, “We haven’t finalised it as yet but we sent out a general letter telling staff that we have to do restructuring. We are not terminating our staff. People will go off on their leave now as an option and that sort of thing. In other areas, where nothing is happening at our hotels and restaurants, the staff will have to be sent home for the three-month period without pay,” he said.
He noted that at Ogle will not be affected.
Meanwhile, most public servants have started working on a shift system to avoid clustering at their offices. The Department of Public Information, in a report earlier this week, said that the decision was made by President David Granger in order to protect the health and wellbeing of public servants.
