The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

Retailers yesterday said uncertainties over the Government's COVID-19 strategy are creating “too many unknowns” and inhibiting their ability to plan effectively for the future.

Egan Kemp, president of Eunison Company, the Shoe Depot parent, told Tribune Business: “It’s amazing that we have been allowed to legally operate again. Unfortunately, every day you scratch your head and wonder if we will be open today, or next week.

"It’s hard to plan, so why bring in school shoes when there is no school and tie-up all of that money, which means our landlord is going to charge full rent and your bank account just keeps getting lower and lower and lower.”

Mr Kemp added: “This is just a whole complicated world out there, and unfortunately I don’t think the Government bureaucrats and the politicians truly understand the burden that they have placed on the business community by these complete shutdowns.

"I have no problem with the Government putting in standards that we all, as citizens and as businesses, equally, have to abide by. In other words, one customer per 30 square feet of space, great. What’s good for one is good for all.

"Maybe you may want to differentiate if you are dealing with food, so there is a slight difference if you are dealing with persons in that business, but unfortunately when you shut down the entire thing, you can’t understand the economic impact of these things. It is just hard for my team to wrap our heads around and forecast around all of those dominoes.

Mr Kemp continued: “There are too many unknowns that you have thrown into the way we have always operated for eternity. This is the first time ever that governments have forced full closure of businesses or segments of businesses for months.

“The Government needs to stop shutting down the country, but unfortunately it is a virus. I’m no doctor but the influenza virus that we have had for eternity, have they ever been able to cure it? No. So it comes and goes. But everything I have heard about this coronavirus, for the vast majority of people it is a non-event.

"Fortunately the bureaucrats are coming to understand that without us they don’t exist because we don’t need the government; the government needs us because we pay the taxes. In other words, the people. So when you shut us down, who are you taxing? There is no one to tax.

"I don’t know how much longer we will be able to weather the storm and, unfortunately, there are so many dominoes that tie into that statement, because without tourist dollars coming into this country our reserves will soon deplete and sadly our government leaders should have been looking at countries that were allowed to stay open and learn from them and what are they doing and how they are doing what they are doing."