– Even with loss of business, overseas gigs 

TEAM MMR, a local entertainment agency that offers quite a variety of services in the industry, has been tremendously affected by COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019), but Founder WR Reaz says he prefers to remain positive and use his platforms to give hope to people.

In all of his 21 years of being in showbiz, WR said he has never experienced anything close to the effects of the dreadful disease, which has claimed some seven lives in Guyana so far and infected dozens.

“This is something totally new for all of us, but it’s something I would have never expected in my lifetime,” he told the Buzz earlier this week.

Team MMR offers a host of services including radio and television programmes, weddings, MC, and DJ services, lights, and promotion of events and parties. “It’s an overall entertainment agency,” he pointed out, offering hot radio programmes hosted by him, with music by ‘Selector Andy.’

Lately, though, every single aspect of the Team MMR has been affected. The team has to buy its air time, and hence with businesses closed and clients taking a break from sponsorship, the expenses remain while the income cuts.

“However, we still want to maintain being on air so we can bring a little hope and sanity to people because some people are losing the faith that things will get better. A little music can keep them going,” WR expressed.

So far, 19 weddings, some of which were confirmed since last year, had to be cancelled, and the team can no longer go on four overseas gigs that they were a part of. “Every single one has been cancelled, and for every person who gave us an advance, we called them back to collect their money.”

Furthermore, all of Team MMR’s signature events had to be cancelled, including their anniversary party which happens in March.

According to WR, Team MMR continues to function with the help of their major clients who would have remained with them through good and bad days. “But I have already been given word from some of the well-established ones that if things continue like this, they will have to take a break, and I can’t blame them because their businesses have been closed.”

While the team has been exploring other avenues of continuing their work, worst-case scenarios may see them having to pull some of their shows. “We still want to keep people engaged. I’m hearing too many people saying they are bored, and boredom can lead to too many negative things, and these are some of the reasons we try to remain on the air,” WR expressed, adding, “I kind of get worried when young people are telling me they’re bored as if there is no hope. I want to tell persons that there is hope; we just have to be a bit patient.”

While his entire life and business has been drastically affected, WR says he is not giving up. “This is what I am trying to instill in people through my forum. COVID-19 has affected my business tremendously but I don’t want to be the person who continues to be negative. I want to stay positive. If I can’t give hope to people, then I can’t have hope for myself. It’s going to end and I encourage persons to take the precautions.” (By Telesha Ramnarine)