The decision to prolong the lockdown with a three-days-per-week food-shopping schedule is understandable based on the COVID-19 figures. Three cases were added on Sunday to reach 67 confirmed infections.
That number had been expected to go up due to testing in “hot spots”. The intention is to use the days when people are not out taking care of their necessities to continue reaching out in the districts.
There are questions whether groceries delivery will again be as readily available as before, now that supermarkets are open every other day. Holidays King’s Day (April 27) and Labour Day (May 1) also fall on Monday and Friday respectively this year, which may require a change in schedule that week.
Moreover, an extension of three rather than two weeks as had been expected means even more socioeconomic hardship, because it would push a gradual reopening of non-essential services well into May. Government plans to assist businesses that have lost 20 per cent or more in turnover with a payroll subsidy of up to 80 per cent at the end of April.
It will use the liquidity support recently received to do this. However, going forward the stimulus plan to be discussed in Parliament today, Monday, very much depends on financial assistance from the Netherlands, which is setting extensive conditions for such (see Saturday paper).
Aruba has already seen the writing on the wall and announced sharp cuts in the public sector to qualify for more soft loans from The Hague. It does not appear the other two Dutch Caribbean counties have much choice but to follow suit.
Under these less-than-certain circumstances, the sooner medical data allow for a responsible “normalisation” of society the better. Despite the updated measures being anchored in a national decree, one would hope for some degree of flexibility where – if conditions permit – adjustments in duration as well as content can and will be made when called for.
