THE world has been exposed to a deadly virus during 2020. Little did anyone know how much of an impact this would have on each other’s lives, and more so the world’s economy. Though the economy has not been at its best for a year, and the virus still continues to be a threat, it is uncertain as to when things will go back to the “normal way” as we know it.
Many measures have been put in place over the year to combat the COVID-19 epidemic, some of which have affected the running of the economy, in return for the safety of the citizens. However, with the uncertainty of when this will end, it is impossible to continue with restrictions on all business operations, given that the environment is favourable. It must be noted that during these times, many persons are still out of work, due to the nature of the jobs they possess, as not everyone is privileged to work remotely from their places of employ. These jobs financially support many families, as everyone has bills to pay, along with daily survival needs to tend to.

It was recently announced by the Minister of Health that the restrictions on indoor dining have been relaxed, which has undoubtedly made some people very uncomfortable. However, it should be noted that these restrictions allow for restaurants to operate at 40 per cent capacity. There is a criterion that must be met, and permission must be sought from the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) before anyone can resume indoor dining. According to the GTA, restaurants that wish to resume the act must send in applications, along with their Standing Operating Procedures (SoPs), which must coincide with the COVID-19 measures, along with other health and sanitation practices. These restaurants will constantly be checked by officials to ensure that all regulations are being followed, and failure to comply will result in one month’s closure.

With just a glimpse of the topic, it was concluded to be a bad idea, because this move is perceived to result in more COVID-19 cases. However, it should be noted that this move was not done recklessly, and without the consideration of the health of citizens; measures were put in place to ensure that the situation is controlled. According to statistics from World Health Organisation (WHO) for Guyana, there was approximately a 68.44 per cent decline in confirmed cases in the last five months. This indicates that Guyana’s condition is not as severe as the rest of the world’s, and that the businesses can slowly start to reopen and perform at a moderate level, providing that they follow all COVID-19 measures that are in place.
It was previously mentioned that it is unknown when this phase will come to an end, thus, we cannot wait until we have completely reached that stage to start reopening the economy. Another point mentioned earlier is that persons are still out of jobs. These restaurants have cooks, cleaners, waiters and receptionists, along with managers who all have been away from work for a while, and it is impossible for them to get new jobs amidst what is happening. This is a chance for some of these people to resume their jobs to get income to support their domestic needs; this will also support the economy in getting back on its feet.

If a restaurant has been permitted to reopen dining, and at a minimum capacity of 50 customers a day, with a meal costing $1,200 per person, that will result in $60,000 per day, and roughly $1,680,000 per month. If a restaurant has a maximum of 10 employees who are paid at a rate of $2,000 a day, that is roughly $560,000 a month. Other expenses can be estimated to $400,000 a month, which leaves a profit margin of $720,000 per month. If 10 restaurants were permitted to indoor dine, that will result in 100 jobs being resumed, with an income of $5,600,000 per month. This is what will be reinvested back into the economy to increase economic activity.

Guyana is not the only country seeking to resume its economic activity through the tourism sector in the Caribbean. Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica have allowed for 50 per cent indoor dining, along with strict measures which would be constantly monitored by government officials.
Judgment should not be made on matters without fully understanding all views of the issue. Though the resumption of indoor dining is perceived to result in a spike of COVID-19 cases, this can only be due to the lack of precautions taken by individuals. However, persons need financial support, and the government would not be able to provide those assistances on a regular basis, thus, it is necessary for businesses to resume operations; at least at a lower level than usual. It should also be noted that if the situation becomes unfavourable in the future, the government will, without a doubt, take action to reverse any act that may put citizens at risk.