SHASTRI BOODAN
The Couva Point Lisas Chamber of Commerce (CPLCC) is appealing to landlords to give commercial tenants a chance.
CPLCC President, Mukesh Ramsingh, made the appeal as he fielded questions from Guardian Media on Thursday, at the Chamber’s Camden offices. Ramsingh was asked to comment on the recent closure of Couva’s biggest restaurant and several small businesses in the area.
Ramsingh said many small businesses are folding because they are unable to pay rent and other business charges.
“We ask the landlords to think wisely because when your customers leave, you are going to have to bring somebody new and I think the risk of bringing somebody new in this climate is very difficult,” Ramsingh said. “Stick with the people you know and work together with them.”
Ramsingh also urged government to consider deferring taxes and levies until the economy starts moving again.
Sham Ramkissoon, the owner and manager of J-ZZ’s Restaurant along the Southern Main Road, Couva, said he has no choice but to fold operations and sell his business. Ramkissoon said the property and investment had cost him $25 million and he hopes to get around $15-17 million if the property sells.
Ramkissoon said he is not happy with the way the food service industry has been treated since March 2020. He said the banks have no compassion for businessmen, neither does the government, which is still expecting businesses to pay taxes, green fund levy and other charges. Ramkisson said these expenses, coupled with utility bills, have cause many operations to fold.
“The government has to tell the banks to ease up,” Ramkisson said.
He added: “On the other hand, T&TEC… we have to pay bills, we have fridges running, we not getting an ease up on VAT, we not getting an ease up on PAYE, we not getting an ease up on taxes and you have to pay green fund levy, business running, business not running.”
Ramkissoon told Guardian Media that all of his trained staff of 25 have gone their separate ways seeking stable employment elsewhere.
“They put guidelines to operate under and they close we down again. It makes no sense we run business; we have to close. It has become too stressful to start all over again,” he said.
Ramkissoon said since the start of the Pandemic he has lost around $4 million.
Meanwhile, Dipchand Persad, the owner of Passage to Asia, said he is contemplating closing his operations at Ariapita Avenue, Port of Spain.
“I am paying $15,000 plus VAT in monthly rent for the place in Port of Spain and I am not earning any money,” Persad said.
“To set up the Port of Spain branch cost me around $1.5 million. Now the industry is closed, the banks are squeezing us. The utilities as WASA and T&TEC want their monies. I have to pay $105,000 a month in mortgage to the bank for the restaurant at Chaguanas. We are working on fumes, with no monies coming in,” he added.
“People may be forced to close because the government is not assisting, and when all small businesses collapse, the banks will seize the assets and divide the spoils and we would once again be left on the streets to start over, and unfortunately some may never restart,” the restaurant owner lamented.
Persad said he has had to lay off 20 workers and an additional 30 may be sent home once the Port of Spain branch folds.
