“We all have to come together especially the Government, as this is the job we voted them into to do – to manage the fallout from the effects of the coronavirus and the effects it’s having on our businesses.”
By Neil Gosine
Getting everyone back to work must be a priority of our economic recovery.
Many people have focused just on retraining their jobs and being able to afford the basic amenities.
But, of course getting single parents back to work should be priority with quality child care support as part of the solution.
This is crucial for our women who hold low-wage jobs and require child-care support because those who cannot work from home or virtually have less flexibility and need the support from family and their companies to assist with child-care accommodations.
As our society grapple with the ravages of Covid-19, hundreds of businesses – especially in the retail sector in malls, restaurants and bars – across the country have been forced to close their doors. Others brave it out, while trying to cope and pay their staff albeit with a drastic fall in sales.
Thousands of people have been laid off. Most impacted are the low income sales clerks, receptionists, cashiers, waiters, waitresses, bar maids and cleaners, just to name a few.
As businesses try to survive they can only offer their existing staff fewer hours to work as it’s a real struggle to keep their businesses operating in the face of one of the worst crises in decades, if not, in this century.
That’s why it’s so important to encourage and train young people especially young women to become self-sufficient and marketable. Women must be encouraged to be leaders for our future.
In January 2021, the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago announced that there was approximately a 200% increase in layoffs for July to November 2020 when compared to the same months in 2019.
Many companies go the route of wage reductions and staff working for less hours so that they can survive, while others have closed their doors permanently.
The outlook for now in T&T looks glum if we do not get a proper handle on the coronavirus spread and increase the rate of vaccination in the country.
We all have to come together especially the Government, as this is the job we voted them into to do – to manage the fallout from the effects of the coronavirus and the effects it’s having on our businesses.
The pandemic has triggered dire shockwaves across the country where so many people are now on the breadline. Especially young and single parent women who are the breadwinners in their families.
It’s so important now to begin to tackle the issues and create opportunities for businesses to help restart the economy.
We need these businesses to continue to operate so that they can employ people and continue to generate sustainable revenue streams to keep the economy going.
We must keep families going and keep women independent and able to provide for their families without the threat to their livelihoods; away from the dependence on a partner who maybe abusive.
With the Government having restricted the operations of restaurants and bars, many businesses are barely surviving and business entrepreneurs have cutback in investing in new businesses or totally, in this economy due to the uncertainty, the foreign exchange shortages and the inefficiencies at the entry points at the ports. Not to mention the lockdown of the borders and the fiasco with getting exemptions to travel.
All this has made operations of businesses in T&T beyond difficult and unless we see Government come up with some sustainable stimulus packages to bring about meaningful relief, I see no end to the continued downturn of our economy and more businesses closing their doors permanently.
For everyone’s sake please restructure our business plan and expenditures before it’s too late.
Commentary: Time to Restart the Economy
“We all have to come together especially the Government, as this is the job we voted them into to do – to manage the fallout from the effects of the coronavirus and the effects it’s having on our businesses.”
Getting everyone back to work must be a priority of our economic recovery.
Many people have focused just on retraining their jobs and being able to afford the basic amenities.
But, of course getting single parents back to work should be priority with quality child care support as part of the solution.
This is crucial for our women who hold low-wage jobs and require child-care support because those who cannot work from home or virtually have less flexibility and need the support from family and their companies to assist with child-care accommodations.
As our society grapple with the ravages of Covid-19, hundreds of businesses – especially in the retail sector in malls, restaurants and bars – across the country have been forced to close their doors. Others brave it out, while trying to cope and pay their staff albeit with a drastic fall in sales.
Thousands of people have been laid off. Most impacted are the low income sales clerks, receptionists, cashiers, waiters, waitresses, bar maids and cleaners, just to name a few.
As businesses try to survive they can only offer their existing staff fewer hours to work as it’s a real struggle to keep their businesses operating in the face of one of the worst crises in decades, if not, in this century.
That’s why it’s so important to encourage and train young people especially young women to become self-sufficient and marketable. Women must be encouraged to be leaders for our future.
In January 2021, the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago announced that there was approximately a 200% increase in layoffs for July to November 2020 when compared to the same months in 2019.
Many companies go the route of wage reductions and staff working for less hours so that they can survive, while others have closed their doors permanently.
The outlook for now in T&T looks glum if we do not get a proper handle on the coronavirus spread and increase the rate of vaccination in the country.
We all have to come together especially the Government, as this is the job we voted them into to do – to manage the fallout from the effects of the coronavirus and the effects it’s having on our businesses.
The pandemic has triggered dire shockwaves across the country where so many people are now on the breadline. Especially young and single parent women who are the breadwinners in their families.
It’s so important now to begin to tackle the issues and create opportunities for businesses to help restart the economy.
We need these businesses to continue to operate so that they can employ people and continue to generate sustainable revenue streams to keep the economy going.
We must keep families going and keep women independent and able to provide for their families without the threat to their livelihoods; away from the dependence on a partner who maybe abusive.
With the Government having restricted the operations of restaurants and bars, many businesses are barely surviving and business entrepreneurs have cutback in investing in new businesses or totally, in this economy due to the uncertainty, the foreign exchange shortages and the inefficiencies at the entry points at the ports. Not to mention the lockdown of the borders and the fiasco with getting exemptions to travel.
All this has made operations of businesses in T&T beyond difficult and unless we see Government come up with some sustainable stimulus packages to bring about meaningful relief, I see no end to the continued downturn of our economy and more businesses closing their doors permanently.
For everyone’s sake please restructure our business plan and expenditures before it’s too late.