Page 32 - bon-dia-aruba-20200525

a32 local
Monday 25 May 2020

Aruba Food & Beverage Association conducts survey among restaurants:

“Many restaurants will not survive without the wage subsidy or any

sort of financial aid”

ORANJESTAD — The Aruba tify 100 restaurants to be
Food & Beverage Associa- open which will force our
tion (AF&BA) recently con- sector in a regretful survival
ducted a survey among of the fittest with 200 restau-
restaurants centering on rants opening.
convid-19 and how this af- On the last question “Do
fected the restaurant sec- you consider closing your
tor. Thirty-six (12%) restau- restaurant?” 8.33% respond
rants responded to the sur- to close their restaurant
vey. while 83.3% responds to
remain operational while
The first question “Did you 8.33% is not sure yet. In gen-
apply for wage subsidy *? eral, great satisfaction was
61.1% responded having expressed on wage subsidy
applied for wage subsidy was administered by SVB
while 38.8% responded of outside terrace on May hope this subsidy will carry their staff at 100% based on and management of same
not having applied. Con- 25?”, was question number the sector through includ- few tourists is reduced with by GOA.
clusions may be drawn that three and 36.1% responded ing the month of July 2020. 15% from 61.1% to 47.2%. AF&BA plans to conduct
restaurants may not have to open with a terrace and Based on this question it is This also implies that many another survey next month
applied for the wage sub- 63.89% responded not to estimated, however, that restaurants will not be able with questions pertaining
sidy because of mixed feel- open with a terrace. 1000 employees will lose to survive without the wage to the opening of terraces,
ings of being able to open their job in the restaurant subsidy or any sort of finan- the Aruba Health & Hap-
and prefer the FASE subsidy Question number 4, “How sector. cial aid. piness Code and a repeat
**. much of your staff you think of some questions as op-
you can retain 3 months The fifth question “How “When do you think it erators reflect on the future
On the second question from now? 61.1% respond- much of your staff you think would be safe and sustain- re-opening of their restau-
“How would you describe ed to be able to retain you can retain 6 months able to open your restau- rants.
your business? 83.3% re- 100% of the staff trough from now? 47.2% respond- rant” is question number 6 Considering the many
sponded to be closed for the month of July; 16.67% ed being able to retain and 13.89% answers to be challenges ahead AF&BA
business – ZERO SALES – 11. responded being able to 100% of their staff through able to open the restaurant recommends restaurant
% responded to have 25% retain staff for 75%; 11.1% the month of October; 25% in June; 5.56% is thinking to operators to reach consen-
sales; and 5.56% responded responded being able to responded being able to open in July; 8.33% thinks sus on shorter working hours
to have 50% sales. From the retain 50% of the staff and retain staff for 75%; 22.2% of opening in August and and days with their staff
above it may be conclud- 11.1% responded to be responded being able to 13.89% is thinking to open now that hotel occupan-
ed that the F&B sector re- able to retain 25% of the retain 50% of the staff and somewhere in September cies will proof very com-
ceived a tremendous blow staff. The response reflects 5.56% responded to be and 13.89% respond in 5 – 6 plex to sustain hotel occu-
due to Convid-19 and the optimism possibly based able to retain 25% of the months; 27.7% thinks about pancies 30 – 40% at 100%
corresponding lock down. on the recently received staff. Three months later the opening when the Govern- staff. Flexibilization of labor
“Would you open with an wage subsidy and the restaurants that can retain ment authorizes restaurants laws will be key for our res-
to open while the major- taurant sector to service
ity 30.56% is not sure. Some according to AF&BA and
analysis here may guide us urges the Government of
to a projection of 200 res- Aruba (GOA) to start think-
taurants that consider to ing in this direction. Ques-
open 6 months from now. tions to AF&BA can be sent
An AHATA projection of to our aga@setarnet.aw
30% occupancy would jus- email address.q

*The salary subsidy is financial support for local businesses that
have been financially affected by the Covid-19 pandemic in
the form of revenue loss of more than 25%. The main objective
of this support is to keep as many people employed as pos-
sible despite partial or complete loss of economic activity and
to guarantee payments of partial salaries.
**FASE is a compensation from the Emergency Social Assis-
tance Funds FASE to help cover the loss of income of employees
due to the reduction of working hours, causing them to earn less
than AWG. 950, 00 ($ 543) monthly.