Forced to live differently –Part 2 - Surviving the crisis of COVID-19

In our continuation from last week, eProbe looks on how persons within the entertainment industry have had to adjust to what is now considered their new reality, as business owners share their worries and concerns, while entertainers use the time to reflect and assess their own lives.

Soca artiste Kes recently took to Instagram, in what could be described as a heart-to-heart conversation with fans, stating, “Just wanted to reach out and just hear how everybody coping. I think all of us are going through our own things, and trying to understand and wrap our mind around what’s happening.”

Kes said he took the time to be in his own feelings and check his own soul, but noted that even though “we in this thing together … it’s such a personal time and journey within ourselves. A part of me feels upheaval, but a part of me feels very calm and almost embracing the time. We’ve been going and going and going and I did ask for a pause, and it came. But the reality is, this is the here and now, and it really forces us to live in the moment and say listen, you can’t up and make plans right now, this is a time to really stop. I feel it ... this has affected us in so many different ways.”

But for Kes, something that someone said resonated with him. “They said the only sad thing is if we come out of this, and we come out unchanged. We really have to take this time to look at ourselves … we’re forced to look at ourselves and see what we really stand for.”

Other entertainers have taken to social media, the only space that they can now reach out and connect with fans. They have been sharing some of their inner thoughts, while trying to remain positive and offer some encouragement.

Beenie Man in an Instagram post said, “Let’s try to stay productive while we stay home during this pandemic. Staying home will help us to get through this quicker and safer. We are all in this together.”

Popcaan also posted, via Instagram, “Be safe and strong in this time. Being sad and worried won’t help either.”

HOPEFUL BUSINESS WILL BOUNCE BACK

On the business side of things, owners remain hopeful that their businesses will survive, and that things will rebound after the pandemic has passed.

Brian ‘Ribbie’ Chung, proprietor of Ribbiz Ultra Lounge and Ribbiz Ocean Lounge, said some of his immediate concerns include the turnaround time for businesses to recover, landlords and their rent, and being able to cover monthly expenses.

“How quickly will businesses bounce back from this pandemic? Also, while some landlords might have a heart, at the end of the day, the rent they collect is a form of income for them too,” he told eProbe.

However, Ribbie is suggesting that they “collect an agreed discounted rental amount from their tenants in these times of closure. With nightlife on a pause at the moment, it’s definitely hard on most businesses to meet their monthly expenses at this time.”

Ribbie also noted other expenses, including “the staffing population, who are relying on us for their income too”.

In the meanwhile, he said, like the rest of the world, he will just have to play the waiting game, but he was using the time to recharge.

“First and foremost, I’ve been keeping abreast of the situation at hand. Otherwise from that, I’ve spent most of my time at home watching Netflix, eating, sleeping and just recharging my system for when we are up and going again,” the nightclub owner shared.

MORE OF THE UNKNOWN

Safia Cooper, co-managing director of Pulse Investments Limited, noted that while most of Pulse’s businesses remain stable, there are some areas that are seriously affected.

“Naturally, this causes us concern, although we do hope to get the affected areas back on track as soon as the pandemic passes. A good part of our business (such as media) remains active and viable in the current environment. We are also concerned, generally, with business viability post-corona of organisations, especially those that are smaller and those that were faced with other non-related corona challenges prior,” she stated.

In addition, Cooper said the ability of organisations to successfully pick up the pieces after would be a task, because “the world has never seen or experienced this before. So the world after corona is even more of the unknown.”

She is also using this time to catch up on some of the luxuries not normally afforded to her as a busy businesswoman.

“Working from home is on top of the checklist. Catching up on things in my day-to-day life that I would not have time to deal with is being given some attention now. I now have more time to chat with family members and friends outside of Jamaica. I’m also now able to pay my cooking hobby some more attention,” she told e-Probe.