Article: Economic Strangle
Jamell Robinson
Article: Economic Strangle
It is said that the main drivers of an economy are small businesses. When they are formed and grow, you add more quickly to a country’s GDP. With the extended lockdown in place due to COVID-19, what you have is the choking especially of the local economy. The result is money’s only moving one way out of the hands of many to the essential industries such as Supermarkets, Utilities, Telephone and Internet Service providers, Land Lords etc.
We have reached a critical point where after 4 plus weeks of curfew measures many have exhausted their reserves and are hoping they will qualify for the stimulus package. Others simply need an opportunity to make money. It’s important that the Governor and Premier announce the plans for a phased approach to the reopening of the local economy, especially before the stimulus money is issued. This will give the funds a chance to circulate through the local economy a couple times before it leaves.
Here’s a simple explanation as to why this is essential. Several years ago, when I first entered the Disaster Management field, we had a project headed by Dr. Jacob Opedayi, the lead Professor of Geographic Information Services at the University of the West Indies Trinidad Campus. He told me of a story about his gardener taking exception to him mowing his own grass. The gardener told him point blank that we send you to UWI to make the big money so you can afford to hire me to cut your grass and we both keep employed!!
How many producers in society right now cannot effectively shift money making gears because they have to do all the cooking, cleaning, and care giving that they previously paid someone to do? How are those caregivers going to make it, if they too continue to be unemployed? How are small businesses and local restaurants going to bounce back if their main customers don’t have money? We are at a significant crossroads in this crisis and the decisions soon to be announced may determine who’s able to survive in this country in the very near future.
Stay blessed and safe TCI,
Jamell Robinson, PNP At Large Candidate
