Cinema sector asks: When can we open?

AS different sectors of the economy reopen in light of increased covid19 vaccination efforts, there remains uncertainty as to when cinemas will be able to welcome back the public.

In recent weeks, Government has allowed the manufacturing, construction, food and retail sectors to reopen while adhering rigidly to covid19 protocols.

CEPEP and URP workers were allowed to resume work on Monday

Domestic workers and personal-service providers (such as barbers and hairdressers) will be allowed to do the same on August 23.

But there remains no word as to when cinemas will be able to reopen.

In a letter to the editor of newspapers which was circulated on social media, Kristina Celestine, identified as a CinemaOne team member, asked how much longer would it be before cinema workers are allowed to return to work.

CinemaOne runs Digicel IMAX at One Woodbrook Place, Port of Spain.

She wrote, "While the rest of the country is moving on, we the forgotten workers in the cinema sector are dealing with mounting debts and no assistance from the the Government."

Referring to recent arrivals of doses of covid19 vaccines in Trinidad and Tobago and the reopening of the borders a month ago, Celestine said it was safer to sit in a cinema and watch a 90-minute movie than to travel for four hours in an aircraft.

Before cinemas were directed to close in May because of an increase in covid19 cases then, Celestine said cinemas were already operating at 50 per cent capacity and staggered movie showtimes to allow patrons to leave theatres between shows, to avoid congregation. Describing going to the cinema as a passive activity, Celestine said, "You are sitting and staring at a distance from other people. Additionally, the cinema sector has demonstrated the ability to enforce and further adhere to all covid19 guidelines. .

Company CEO and co-founder Ingrid Jahra said, "My staff are mainly young men and women who need to also provide for their livelihoods, and l think the letter can speak for employees across the sector."

She added, "It has been four months and the third lockdown for CinemaOne Cinemas and all cinemas.

"We are closed 109 days this year and over 200 days in 2020."

She said there are almost 3,500 workers across the sector, "with almost 75 per cent of our workers vaccinated." Jahra said, "We are standing ready to open up for business."

She said cinemas provide a passive activity and a controlled environment for safe family entertainment.

"We are standing ready to open safely. The sector has a solid record of no positive cases."

CinemaOne chairman Brian Jahra, in the company's financial results for the nine-month period ending June 30, 2021, said the continuing lockdown on cinemas set back operations which had already been hampered by restrictions to a 50 per cent seating capacity, and on alcohol consumption, and a 10 pm closing time.

These conditions preceded the state of emergency (SoE) which began on May 15 and is due to be extended to November 29 when the House of Representatives sits on August 25.

Brian Jahra was hopeful of a reopening of the entertainment sector as the government's vaccination drive continues and more movie releases in the coming months.

On Friday, MovieTowne owner Derek Chin said, "There are no plans for reopening."

Chin said he had no idea when the authorities will give the green light for cinemas to reopen.

"So employees are on rotation and furloughed without pay."

But Chin added, " We have reopened in Guyana so that was a bit of good news."

In TT, he said, "Everything has been placed in storage, as it’s over five months now."

He lamented that MovieTowne patrons were missing out on some good movies such as Black Widow, Fast and Furious 9 and Jungle Cruise, with cinemas closed.

AS for reopening safely, Chin said, "Studies continue to show that cinemas with their protocols are factually fairly safe and are the least (likely) places to cause any covid spreads. The facts are there and have been published over the last year."

But he added that "even when the science is saying that cinemas are a least (likely) place to be infected because of their strict protocols and no related contamination, we still get ignored by those same people who say. 'Follow the science.'"

Chin said cinemas' covid protocols "haven’t even had a chance to be tested, because we have been closed from day one, so we have wasted time and money installing them."

In a brief statement issued in response to questions from Newsday, Caribbean Cinemas said, "Unfortunately, theatres have not been approved to reopen as yet."

On its Facebook page, Caribbean Cinemas advised the public to follow all public health regulations and hoped that "the magic of the movies returns soon."