AS the lock down continues, a number of small businesses operating in Honiara are fearing for their future given limited revenue they are earning each day. This is because they are unable to make any revenue over the lockdown periods. With limited revenue, they cannot afford to pay for their bills and other expenses. One of the locally operated businesses offering secretarial studies in Honiara is concern with rental payments. Rosina Agassi Managing Director ROSMAT told Solomon Star that as a small business renting office space in Honiara, they are experiencing difficult times as they hardly receive any income at all during lockdowns. She said she is not disputing the lockdowns, they are important to protect everyone. Therefore, she appeals to the government to consider asking landlords to reduce their rentals during these challenging times. “What I’m calling on is if the government can convince individual landlords of office spaces we are renting to consider reducing rental during these hard times and/or the government meet rental prices during the last two to three months. Therefore, Mrs Agassi is calling on DCGA as a concerned government who has demonstrated its concern in its effort to protect the people of the country, to please ask all landlords;
(a) – Remain and maintain services to citizens;
(b) – Expected revenue to the government from these small entrepreneurs will remain;
(c) – Employment and cash earning will be maintained;
(d) – Dependency will be reduced;
(e) – Overall economy of the country will be sustained.
The city will go into a four days lockdown from Tuesday 6pm to Saturday 6pm.