Hanover chamber boss adopts positive outlook for 2021
Published:Tuesday | January 19, 2021 | 12:05 AMBryan Miller/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Despite the economic fallout caused by the COVID-19 pandemic last year, business operators in Hanover are cautiously optimistic that 2021 will be a much better year for them, even though they are not expecting to see a return to pre-COVID-19 levels.
According to Gare Whittaker, president of the Hanover Chamber of Commerce, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic was more debilitating on some businesses than others, even though all businesses were affected negatively.
“Most businesses have been struggling from March-April of last year, where most experienced a fall-off for the most part. Some did not do so badly, like the food-related retail business, based on the feedback I got,” Whittaker told The Gleaner in an interview.
According to him, restaurants, caterers, bars, entertainment and the hotel sectors took the greatest hit in terms of loss of revenue since the advent of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.
“While the major fallout was really between the August-September period, when the confinement timeline impacted all businesses more or less negatively, as far as the December period is concerned, most persons reported a general uptick in business, and the good thing for us here in Hanover was that we did not experience a lockdown, like what happened in Westmoreland,” said Whittaker.
FORTUNATE SITUATION
He described the Hanover situation as fortunate for not having a parish-wide lockdown, even though there was an increase in COVID-19 cases.
“For 2021, the chamber itself and myself are quite excited about the prospect of the vaccine, even though we won’t be getting it back this side until, my understanding is, somewhere around June. And with that said, I think most business operators are looking for a general return to what things were like (business-wise). My personal take on the situation is that it might not necessarily be the same, but we are just going to have to make do with what is,” said Whittaker.
The chamber boss went on to make an urgent plea to the residents of the western parish, and nationally, to abide by the health protocols in place for the safety of all concerned.
“I personally have known persons who have caught the virus and actually died, and I have known of persons who have caught it and recovered, so I know the impact and how deadly it can become very quickly, so my thing is that for the general public at large to take the health protocols very seriously,” said Whittaker, in noting that a responsible approach will help to protect families and loved ones.
He also noted his concern about the effects of crime on business in the parish in 2020, especially the robberies that have taken place and have spilled over into 2021. He urged business operators to be vigilant, especially with regard to the handling of cash, saying it is best that they reduce their exposure.
“The general thing now is for everybody to pay attention and do what is necessary to ensure their safety and survival, and the safety of their staff and their assets … take nothing for granted,” Whittaker warned.
He used the opportunity to commend the efforts of the police in the parish, saying they are doing good work and that it is just an unfortunate situation when some business operators are targeted by criminals.
Going forward, Whittaker said a coordinated effort needs to be made to ensure that the nation continues to operate as best as possible as the effort to control the spread of the coronavirus continues.