The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A Bahamian retailer yesterday urged the government to permit businesses to open for a short time daily to ease the economic pain just hours before the prime minister tightened the lockdown.

Andrew Wilson, Quality Business Centre’s (QBC) principal, told Tribune Business that such an approach would give Bahamian workers much-needed financial “sustenance” while enabling firms to pay at least some of their bills during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pledging that there was “absolutely no doubt” that his retail formats will re-open once the crisis has passed, Mr Wilson warned that companies already “on the margins” may not with the Bahamian economic landscape likely to be radically reshaped by the pandemic.

“What would be helpful would be if the government allowed businesses to open for a short period of time,” he argued. “It gives the employees sustenance, and allows the business to pay their bills.

“I look at what’s happening around the world, and the better option would be to let businesses open for two to three days a week, or ‘X’ number of hours every day a week, so consumers can also get what they need to mitigate against everything that’s happening.”

Dr Hubert Minnis, though, took the opposite approach last night by unveiling a new emergency order that intensifies the nationwide lockdown The Bahamas has been placed under until month’s end. This effectively shuts The Bahamas’ borders, extends the curfew to 24 hours, and also reduces the number of companies that are “exempt” from such strictures.

All non-essential businesses are to close unless they, and their staff, can operate remotely from home. The limited concession granted to hardware and building improvements retailers, which allowed them to serve licensed contractors only, has been removed while all construction activity apart from “urgent plumbing, electrical and roof repairs” must cease as of 7pm tonight.

Acknowledging the consequences, CBS Bahamas (Commonwealth Building Supplies) told customers: “We want to let you know that in line with Emergency Powers Order No. 2, we will be ceasing all operations until March 31 (or as announced by the Government).

“During this time, our retail store will remain closed to the public. Additionally, our service and installation department will also be closed. For those customers who may have deliveries, installations or service calls scheduled, please look out for an e-mail from our sales team manager with further updates.

“For those customers with special orders on the way, we will do everything in our power to maintain our delivery timelines, and personalised updates will come as we get them.”

One hardware retailer, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Tribune Business that they had elected to remain closed and not take advantage of the previous contractor-related concession because “it defeats the purpose” of combating COVID-19’s spread.

They explained that servicing the construction industry would still require the presence of 20-30 persons split between delivery drivers, warehouse workers, cashiers, floor personnel and back office staff, which made it difficult - if not impossible - to comply with social distancing protocols.

“It’s just not worth the stress, the hassle, and the health of the staff,” the retailer said prior to the Prime Minister’s address. “We just decided to ride this thing out and see what transpires. I think there’s going to be a total shutdown at some point. I’m amazed they have only four cases, so I don’t know how much testing they’ve done.

“I’m with the Government on what they’re doing, but they need to fine or jail a few people defying their orders. If they hit one or two people they’ll fall into line. There’ll be some teeth behind it. We took the position to put our staff over revenue and money. We just don’t want our people getting sick.”

Mr Wilson, meanwhile, said he had placed all his 30 employees split between QBC and Fashion on Broadway on vacation during the shutdown and was hoping the emergency powers “blow over” before that period ends.

“Everything has closed. It is what it is. It’s not something that anybody has experienced before in our lifetime,” he told Tribune Business. “I just have to defer to the wisdom of those who have much more information than I do.

“It’s going to be challenging, but I’m certain we’re definitely going to re-open. We’re fine for the short-term, and we have absolutely no doubt we will survive this. Hopefully the economy will survive and we don’t have to downsize on the other side of this. But we’re hopeful.”

However, Mr Wilson said there was “no question” that many Bahamian-owned businesses - especially those of the micro, small and medium-sized enterprise (MSME) variety - will not be able to re-open once the COVID-19 pandemic has passed.

“I’m 100 percent certain a lot of businesses will not be able to re-open,” he added. “This is like nothing we’ve ever seen before. I don’t know when COVID-19 will be over. The best guesstimates are the end of summer.

“I suspect for a lot of businesses that have been on the margins, they will never re-open. The economy has not been the best for many merchants that I have spoken to, and I suspect some of them that re-open will downsize.”