Small businessmen watchful, wary, hopeful

Charlene Reis of Sandra's Gourmet Delight does prep work on Sunday in time for the reopening of the business on Monday. PHOTO BY SUREASH CHOLAI -
Charlene Reis of Sandra's Gourmet Delight does prep work on Sunday in time for the reopening of the business on Monday. PHOTO BY SUREASH CHOLAI -

SANDRA James was busy at her Raphael Terrace, Diego Martin home prepping food stuff for the reopening of her business, Sandra’s Gourmet Delight on Monday.

Her small food business is located at the Dock Workers Canteen, Dock Road, Port of Spain.

While slicing onions, James said she is very fearful of reopening her business. However, she has developed a strategy, which is, preparing a smaller amount than she usually does.

“Because we don’t know what to expect because everybody has been bawling. We don’t know how the market will be. We got hit hard because there are a lot of people who do the vending on the side and some people bringing food from home.

“So we don’t know what we are going to meet and so we are doing a little bit.” She is also taking a wait-and-see approach until she decides what comes next for her small business.

“We don’t want much wastage because we went through that already. We are doing small amounts and if the crowd looking good or somebody calls with a spontaneous order, I have the staff to chop up (food items). This is why we prepare now, so we can throw and make pot fast.”

The Prime Minister announced on July 10 that the food sector would reopen on July 19 but only offering curbside pickup and take-out, deliveries and drive-through only.

Many businesses seemed to have wrapped up their preparations for Monday’s reopening and many were closed when Newsday drove through Port of Spain, Ariapita Avenue and Mucurapo Road, Port of Spain.

2ND LOCKDOWN HIT HARDER

Popular roti shop Hott Shoppe was in the process of cleaning and preparing when Newsday visited on Sunday. Its owner Douglas Agostini said he and his staff have been preparing all week.

UNCERTAIN: Douglas Agostini, owner of Hot Shoppe Roti shop in St James, said he is excited but apprehensive as to what the reopening of businesses on Monday will bring. PHOTO BY SUREASH CHOLAI -

Agostini said he expects to have a good sale tomorrow because “people have not eaten out for such a long time.” However, he said it was hard to predict exactly how it is going to be.

Agostini said he expects to get some sales for the restart but then he expects it to slow down and be “quiet under what it used to be.”

His is also an approach of wait-and-see. Going forward will be determined by what happens in the coming days, he said.

“You have to meet all of your expenses and operating costs otherwise you can’t stay in business.”

Agostini said he too believes the Government should have planned more to safeguard the survival of businesses.

“The first round last year, we did get some support from the Government. There was a loan that was extended with a two-year moratorium and low interest rates.

“This second lockdown was far more extensive and far more damaging and there was no further assistance from the Government which has put a lot of pressure on business.”

He also thinks there was some level of unfairness in this second lockdown.

“I operate a roti shop and I was told I had to close. I complied with the law and I closed. But everywhere you go; every supermarket, every gas station, every drug store you are seeing roti…”

“If you are closing, close everybody. Shut down the place. I support that. But don’t close me and let the other guy open. That does not help anybody except the guy that is open.”

UNCERTAINTY ON MONDAY

Agostini added that TT is also going to have a big problem with vaccine hesitancy.

“If we don’t get 90 per cent of the country vaccinated and other variants start to come in, we are going to go through this cycle again. The surge, the shut downs.”

Agostini said he supports mandatory vaccination. While he said no one should be forced to take the vaccine, he believes there should be a law which allows a businessman to say, “If you are not vaccinated you cannot work.”

Popular businessman and owner of bar and grill the Pub House John Quan said he is uncertain about reopening tomorrow.

He said there was not a very large market for curbside and pick-up.

Quan said the entire country was not fully operational and the percentage of people that might be out to work might not warrant opening to make it profitable.

Being unable to sell alcohol – which would have made up for the shortfall when combined with take away and pick up – is also a problem.

He said the management was indecisive as to what they wanted to do.

“As we see it unfold next week, we will determine what we will do.”

He too said that while restaurants and other food establishments were closed, groceries, parlours and convenience stores “stepped-up” their game by providing pre-packaged food.

“It makes it even more uncompetitive for bars and restaurants at this point in time unless the place opens up on a larger scale…”

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