Dear Editor,
I am concerned for all our collective health. In addition I am very concerned for the people that were already hurting after [Hurricane – Ed.] Irma and for how many people will lose their jobs or see their pay reduced.
I am concerned for the businesses that will not survive this crisis and will have to shut down their doors if this time around no aid is received. Remember not one cent after Irma was assigned to economic support for businesses big or small.
I sincerely hope that government and its leaders are doing some of the following:
1) Negotiating receiving financial support. We all know the government cannot afford to provide support from their own funds. They don’t have it.
2) An assessment of the amounts needed is being done that includes components of payroll and businesses financial subsidies.
3) Mechanisms for a quick and efficient distributions of whatever funds are received are put in place. Businesses can handle disbursements to existing workers via their normal payroll systems. No need to reinvent the wheel, they are ready to go. All they need are the rules mandated. Other not registered employees and businesses can be handled by other government entities.
4) As already said by the NL, sacrifices need to be shown. Reduce government expenditures, reduce government salaries including the MPs’. Show that you are taking the same blows as the rest of the citizens.
All of the above should be happening concurrently by multiple teams. These teams should provide daily progress reports to a designated “crisis Zar”; maybe the new Minister of TEATT [Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication] can take that role?
I sincerely hope my comments are redundant and all of the above is taking place, we just don‘t know about it.
A very concerned citizen and his family.
Ricardo Perez
