September school reopening worries San Juan businessmen

The San Juan Business Association (SJBA) is concerned over schools re-opening possibly in September, noting that it would impact on businesses and, in particular, female employees with children.

"Women, and indeed all parents, forced to stay home and look after their children will find themselves in for a tough time ahead both in terms of earning income and job security," the association said in statement released last week.

The statement added,"It is a stressful situation indeed, and requires a delicate balancing act with the authorities, both public and private, working as a coalition to provide suitable remedies.”

The San Juan business leaders are calling on government “to ensure the nation’s students are returned to educational institutions in a timely manner, and of course, in accordance with all health regulations.”

Minister of Education Anthony Garcia said in a press conference on April 15 that schools were not likely to be reopened before September.

The SJBA release added that president Vivek Charran would seek answers on the issue.

The association said with the length of time female workers were forced to stay at home, their jobs would become redundant. It said that, once it is deemed proper and safe to remove lockdown measures and reopen the economy, then schools and day-care centres should also re-open within a reasonable time frame and not four to five months later.

The SJBA acknowledged the “worthy efforts” made by government to curb the economic and social fallouts of the covid19 pandemic and lauded the Prime Minister for assembling the Road to Recovery team. The association said it hoped the needs and concerns of non-essential small and medium sized enterprises and their affected employees were central to the recovery team’s discussions.

“It is arguable these small-business owners and their employees are bearing the greatest financial burden in this time.”