Govt plan needed to help people to survive

THE EDITOR: Of major concern is the thought of the number of people who have lost their jobs, or who are about to lose their jobs. In addition, the number of businesses that are on the brink of folding, thereby putting more people on the breadline.

Most of these people would have rent and mortgages to pay, food to buy, car and other loans, and utility bills.

The question to be asked is: where would these people find money to exist, outside of taking an advanced course in banditry?

The Government's “handout” is a drop in the ocean for it’s a one-off solution. What happens after that?

Think, for a moment, of the banks and finance companies starting to seize people’s properties, cars, etc.

What are they going to do with them? Leave the houses abandoned, park the cars in savannahs to be vandalised?

These are the very same banks and companies one would have to go to obtain finance if one meets the lending requirements, which over 50 per cent of the population will be unable to meet. I’m yet to see people breaking down doors to buy cars and houses.

The time has come for creative financial thinking at the highest level. We have got to think outside the box and put, or at least try to, this creative thinking into operation, as time is running out.

The Government needs to meet with the banks, finance and insurance companies, and similar businesses to structure some form of long-term plan to help citizens to “just survive.”

Vaccine or no vaccine, covid19 is real and here for some time. Businesses and the country may not be. Stop all the pie-in-the-sky building projects and put the remaining scarce foreign exchange to meaningful use.

Simply saying “to support local business and all hands on deck” is mere lip service – and not good enough.

Gloom and doom, call it what you want, the clock is ticking and time is running out, and the ice cube continues to melt.

GERALD AGOSTINI

via e-mail