Cyprus Mail 22 December 2020 - by Evie Andreou
Citing inapplicable measures that create more problems than those they are meant to resolve, owners of restaurants and entertainment businesses on Tuesday staked a say in decisions affecting their business.
The Limassol branch of the association of owners of restaurants and entertainment businesses (Pasika) met with district MPs and local government heads to discuss the problems plaguing their industry as a result of the measures against the spread of coronavirus.
According to Pasika chairman, Phanos Leventis, there more than 3,600 registered entertainment businesses while around 25,000 to 30,000 people are employed in the sector.
“The viability of the entertainment businesses is threatened,” Leventis told the Cyprus News Agency. He said a universal closure has been imposed, on the back of the previous restrictive measures.
Dance and music venues such as nightclubs remain closed since last March, while restaurants have been operating with restrictions on the numbers of people they could serve. As of December 9, all food and beverage businesses can offer take away and delivery services only.
“I do not think opening for one of two days will help the industry much. What we are clearly putting before the government now, apart from the financial support, are some measures, which we have already proposed,” Leventis said.
He stressed that they demand, in addition to financial support, from now on to take part in the dialogue for decision-making that concerns them.
“What we urgently need now is to take part in any decisions that will be made in the future concerning the entertainment industry,” Leventis said. “Measures are imposed by people who do not know the way the industry works, and we get to the point many times they are inapplicable and cause more problems than the ones they are trying to solve.”
Leventis said their participation in decision making was imperative and they would demand this in every way or every legal means in their disposal.
Another issue that needs to be resolved, he said, is the serious problem of rents.
“We see countries that have found solutions to the issue. The government should decide to take the plunge and solve this problem, because now the issue of rents is something that burdens only one side,” he said.
