The Tribune

FOR some business owners the extension of emergency orders will continue to cause them difficulty, however some see the behaviour of COVID-19 ambassadors and police as more of a threat to the little patronage they now receive.

On Monday, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis told Parliament his government intends to extend the COVID-19 state of emergency and Emergency Powers Order to May 23. He also said Bahamians have appeared to let their guards down, particularly at funerals and related Junkanoo parades.

However, he said there is light at the end of the tunnel, but the country should be careful not to slip into a state of rampant COVID infections like the United States is now experiencing.

Marcian Sawyer, owner of The Crew Pub Restaurant and Bar in downtown Nassau, said the pandemic has brought his business down tremendously and an extension of the emergency orders will make matters worse.

Mr Sawyer said: “To make it very short and sweet, this entire lockdown has pretty much brought my business down to operating at 20 to 30 percent efficiency which is, as one would know in the service industry, detrimental to the livelihood of a business.

“The extension is just disheartening at this moment just because of the simple fact that the numbers (COVID) are low and the economy is rebounding. It seems to me that the Prime Minister is giving attention more to the people that he can’t control like the hotels and the Lyford Cay-goers. So it seems a little bit unfair.”

Mr Sawyer said he has tried getting government assistance for his business, but has been turned down.

He explained: “With the government extension programme, it’s so difficult, you have to run through hoops. I have even applied for that and have either been told no by means of applying for the grant, or when it comes to getting the actual small business loan, they are just simply not giving them out. So, our government is telling us ‘hold on’ and take advantage of the extension programme and then you go and apply for it and you’re told no.

“It is very bad, considering the fact that your rent doesn’t change and your BPL bill doesn’t change. On top of this I have been cited twice now by the COVID police. One time there was just one person sitting at my bar waiting on food to go. They cited both of us. I explained to the officers that I have a restaurant and bar licence and have the right to serve take out and curb side. It made no difference. They are discouraging customers.”

Enrico Garzoroli, owner of the historic Graycliff Hotel and Restaurant, says the extension will simply mean more of the same for a business that was already not doing well due to the pandemic. He used the downtime to do maintenance to the property.

Mr Garzoroli said: “The extension doesn’t really change much for us. We didn’t have much hotel rooms booked, anyhow. We are giving free tests so our guests can dine inside. We have been very cooperative with the COVID protocols. In regards to the Emergency Powers, I think it’s what every country in the world is doing.

“Because of the pandemic we were not doing great anyhow, so the extension doesn’t make much of a difference. So the only good thing is that we have been doing a lot of maintenance and a lot of cleaning and fixing in the downtime. These things we could not have done before the pandemic because of business. So hopefully when COVID is fully put under control we will have everything in tip-top shape.”

Mr Garzoroli said one of the things that keeps the property busy at this time is that it is also being used as a campus for schooling the children from nearby Bain Town.

Dante Carrer, manager of Poop Deck East, said the pandemic has not been kind to his business at all, but what can be worse is the US travel and quarantine restrictions. He, too, had a problem with the actions of COVID ambassadors.

He said: “For the first time in our almost 50 year history, we had to seek funding to keep us afloat. Some staff only have one shift a week. We are trying to keep as many people employed as possible. It’s definitely very hard. If it continues as it is now, then it’s not so bad, we are more affected by the US COVID issue and the new travel restrictions they are imposing.

“The Emergency Orders can be a lot easier to deal with as long as the COVID ambassadors are reeled in. They go around 15 to 18 of them at a time scaring people. You only have a few customers and they are scaring them away. Twenty of them came in to a place I was at screaming, ‘Nobody move!’ Some had machine guns. I understand what they are trying to do, but don’t act like the gestapo. I got a citation for waiting for takeout food. I am taking that to court.”

The Tribune also contacted Crystal Rutherford-Ferguson, chairperson of the Chamber of Commerce, who said she looks forward to indoor dining resuming for non-hotel businesses.

She said: “I have no comment in respect to the extension at this point and time, however, should a policy decision be made that materially impacts the business community and the manner in which it is able to conduct business, we will provide comment at that time. In addition to that, we do look forward to the resumption of indoor dining for non-hotel attached properties as the majority of restaurant seating is available indoors.

“When you look at what is happening now, many businesses are able to operate with very few restrictions. So if that were to change through any policy decision, then I will have more to say.”

The current emergency orders expire on January 31 and the extension will be presented and debated in Parliament today.