Violence against women a pandemic

THE business community in San Fernando did not close its doors on Friday, as did many other businesses nationwide.

President of the Greater San Fernando Area Chamber of Commerce Kiran Singh assured that the southern city supported the call to end violence against women. Still grappling with the effects of the covid19 pandemic, he said, business owners have mounting bills to pay.

He considered violence against women a growing pandemic of its own.

“By us remaining opened, that does not mean we are unsympathetic to the cause. We continue to support candlelight vigils held throughout the country and whatever means of awareness to highlight the issue,” Singh said.

“The business community joins the call to end violence against women and by extension violence as a whole.

“To my observation, practically all the businesses are opened today.”

Speaking on behalf of the chamber, Singh extended condolences to the family of murdered court clerk Andrea Bharatt, 23, and other women who were murdered.

“We need to address this in the most serious of ways. Our women, our mothers, are the backbone of families and the country as a whole. We must respect them,” Singh said.

Employees of various businesses wore pink in support of the cause.

Business owners nationwide pledged to shut their doors on Friday, the day of Bharatt’s funeral, in solidarity to highlight the violence against women.

Jay’s Toy Box on St James Street closed its doors for the day. A social media user praised the business for the “commendable” gesture. Operations resume as normal on Saturday. At the front of the business on Friday, workers were painting.

Pennywise Cosmetics’ official Facebook page said the company is happy to see the stand being taken over the past week and the call for improvements to ensure the safety of the nation’s women.

“We also see the calls for us to shut our doors today. However, we prefer to help our country in different ways, as we have been silently doing all through the years,” the post said.

“We did not publicise the fact that we have partially funded the autopsy done recently since when we help, we do not do it for the publicity but for the mere fact that we want change.”

The autopsy referred to was a private one done on Tuesday after an initial examination proved inconclusive. The private autopsy found that blunt force trauma to the head killed Bharrat.

While the company did not close its doors, it said is always working silently to better the country.

“We will always continue to empower women and strive to improve the living conditions of the citizens of our country,” the Pennywise post said.