Tobago businessman: 'Not a cent in government support'

Businessman Ricardo Phillip claims he did not receive “a single cent” from the Government in financial support during last year’s covid19 lockdown.

In mid-March 2020, at the start of the covid19 pandemic, the Government implemented a ban on non-essential activity to prevent the spread of the virus.

As a result, several business sectors deemed non-essential were temporarily shut down, leaving hundreds of workers without jobs.

The Government subsequently offered financial and rental support to the workers to mitigate the effects of the restrictions.

In a Newsday interview on Wednesday, Phillip, owner of the Lowlands-based Dynamic Advertising Agency Ltd, said he is yet to receive any money from the Government.

“I am a small business owner and I have never received a single cent from the Government, and I have made several applications.”

On May 7, amid a drastic spike in covid19 infections, the Prime Minister announced tougher restrictions to curb the spread of the virus.

Phillip, who is also the political leader of the Class Action Reform Movement, said he has no intention of applying for assistance.

“This year, I am not going through with that.”

Phillip, who had seven employees during last year’s lockdown, said he now has four, whom he still supports.

“Everybody home and I have to try to support them with whatever little I can independently.”

Phillip, who unsuccessfully contested the Buccoo/Mt Pleasant seat in the January 2021 THA election, said small businesses are suffering.

Phillip applauded the Government for its public health response to the pandemic.

“Our health care system has never experienced a challenge like this before and we have to commend the Government for their public response."

But he added: "However, their economic response is a total failure.”

He attributed this to “years of mismanagement of public funds, a history of corruption and nepotism."

He suggested, “If you had structures in place to deal with small business, ensuring that if you lose your job you have a support system in place, we could have had a better response.”

He believes the economic hardship being experienced by ordinary citizens “is as a consequence of bad management and how you respond to those type of needs.”

At the post-executive council news conference on May 5, Chief Secretary Ancil Dennis said the THA will spend some $25 million on relief initiatives to assist vulnerable citizens affected by the covid19 restrictions.

Phillip said the Government needs the support of the citizenry in battling the pandemic.

“The information we have must be utilised to the best of our ability so it becomes very effective in dealing with the pandemic.

“If we do that, we can identify all of the areas that we haven’t done well, so that the next time there is a pandemic or national disaster, we are better equipped to deal with it.”

He argued there should be no partisan politics in the fight.

“The time for unity and togetherness and to appreciate and support one another is now. This is a perfect opportunity to transcend political and economic differences and work together to come out of this well.”