– supermarket owners install sinks for handwashing

By Indrawattie Natram
WITH Guyana recording its third death due to the coronavirus pandemic, businesses operating in the Pomeroon-Supenaam Region have taken staunch measures to safeguard their customers and staff members.

As such, many of them have closed their doors with effect from March 31. One such business is Alfro Alphonso and Sons Enterprise located at Charity. According to the General Manager, Eric Gomes, the company has decided to close the Xenon Hotel, supermarket and its coconut business due to the virus.

Gomes said the safety of customers and staff is important and as such management regrets any inconvenience the shutdown may cause. He, however, said that businesses may be re-opened in the next two weeks if treatment is made available for the virus.
Like the Alfro Alphonso Enterprise, owner of Shawn Mini Mart, Hemant Kumar Takram aka ‘Cheap Boy’, has closed all of his three branches on March 31. This move was made by the businessman to safeguard customers and his staff.
‘Continue to wash your hands’

Meanwhile, Mayor of Anna Regina, Rajendra Prabhulall, along with his deputy, Rudolph Williams, and Town Clerk, Diane Critchlow, met with vendors on Tuesday at the Bush Lot market. The mayor informed the merchants that the council has approved several measures to keep the municipality safe. A rotation shift was decided where vendors will be selling different days and they are required to have necessary sanitising products on their stalls. Sinks were also installed at various public places and inside the markets to promote handwashing.

Markets will be closed promptly at 14:00 hours daily and all supermarkets, restaurants and food outlets on carts will close business at 18:00 hours. The police from ‘G’ Division will be working closely with the Town Council and other major stakeholders to enforce the region’s curfew.

Other businesses that are still operating in the township have also installed private sinks so that customers can wash their hands before entering.

So far there is no reported case of the virus in the region but Essequibians are taking all precautionary measures to safeguard themselves against the pandemic that has been affecting the world.