Small business owner to gov’t: ‘We need a chance to survive too!’
The Andrew Fahie administration has been called upon to implement measures that would give every type of local business the opportunity to operate.
Manager at Studio One Salon, Nicoleta Bongarth made the appeal on social media site, Facebook this week as most business operations have been affected by government’s latest curfew restrictions.
Bongarth’s appeal was posted on the BVI Community Board but administrators of the page have removed the post.
“My post was deleted from the BVI Community Board twice and I [do] not understand. I [do] not want upset no one. I just put a question!” Bongarth wrote.
“Have you heard anything about when other businesses can re-open? Cause they need to give small businesses their chance to survive. Why should B…s be open and electronic stores and computer shops every day and the rest of us not at all! It should be split. Three half days a week each. Please all don’t take me wrong but we all in this together, then let’s be!”
Her post has since generated several reactions and more than 30 comments in support of her views.
“I agree. Plus, some of those that can open are not making any money because of the curfew hours,” one social media user wrote in response to Bongarth’s post.
Another female user commented: “I feel your pain on this issue.”
She further said she believes all businesses should be allowed to open for the half-day with health protocols such as social distancing in place.
She continued: “People have to eat so allowing some businesses to have a chance to survive and others left hanging does not work if some form of government assistance is not offered.”
“With the latest announcement of 111 negative test results and 0 positive, I do hope small businesses like yours Nicoleta Bongarth will be able to open after the 16th,” another social media user stated.
The territory is currently under a 5 am to 1 pm curfew, and only essential businesses are allowed to operate because of the spike in coronavirus cases seen lately.
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Anyone surprised? The BVI community board has non-BVI residents deciding what we can post. Why don’t you do a story about them and why we now have the Real BVI community board.
Nicoletta is right… all should be allowed to open.
In the states, numbers are dropping and everything remains open. We cannot run from covid. Immunity only lasts a couple of months. It is a new way of the world and will always be around like the flu. Let’s stop ruining our economy and depleting our savings. Enough time has passed for the government to be prepared to treat the sick. Closing the borders and quarantine has been unsuccessful so why are we still doing it?
A Beauty salon? A close contact occupation where you must be a few inches away from your client. Are the employees tested regularly to ensure that their clients are protected if they have the virus. The answer is no but she don’t care because she need to eat. Everybody need to eat so if she gets sued if the salon is the cause of an outbreak I hope she understand.
Does of you talking negative about salon have you been to one since covid came and rules were put in place i dont think so, at these salon these are the only workers i see wearing a mask along with a face shield and they work from the top or back of their client 98% of the time. Go in some these restaurants and look at their workers mask under nose and when they see you inter pull it up in some places ,business that are being careful protecting both clients and staff are the ones closed for the mistakes of bars and clubs and thats where government went wrong.
Extend the hours, let resturants dine in, let everyone except inside only bars open(sorry). No curfew but all business must close by midnight. Just because its open doesn’t mean you have to go if you don’t want to but it means everyone (apart from the inside bars) gets to ern a living.
Because you cannot do social distancing at a salon. Yes we need to go from 5 am to 5 pm but no bars , salons , barbershops and especially strips clubs need to remain closed for now .
Nancy Pelosi would disagree with you on that one! As long as there is proper sanitisation and wearing of masks/gloves, the salon is no less safe than going to the supermarket or anywhere else. Actually it’s probably safer!
Nancy Pelosi was the only customer in the salon at the time….
The government is trying to reduce the spread of the disease,COVID-19 but certain things should be taken into consideration. 1]Zero tolerance to Smuggling and the same penalty should be given to the culprits involved, local or non local.This will dissuade the perpetrators of this act that brought this evil spread to this community.
2] the curfew period is inappropriate because the hours of working is so short.I suggest this is changed to 7pm to 5am.
Small businesses where social distancing and other hygienic conditions can be observed should be opened. God will grant the government the wisdom and continue to protect us all.
Because you cannot do social distancing at a salon. Yes we need to go from 5 am to 5 pm but bars , salons , barbershops and especially strips clubs need to remain closed for now .
They were right to remove it. Is that Facebook page an official government page? No. Why ask a question of Government in that forum. Address your concern through the proper channel.
During these unprecedented times people using social media to their advantage and sometimes very unfairly.
It is called the BVI COMMUNITY BOARD for a REASON.
It’s a channel/community where persons can voice their concerns since it has over 20,000 members.
How many go on there to complain about electricity being out but do not go directly on BVIEC’s page.
That woman that never been here just delete and Bloch. She to rude
She removed my post because I asked where the hell she was to see some of the foolishness she allows from her “kind of people”.
The Real BVI Community Board is where we should all gravitate to.
This is news? Everybody wants to be able to work and make money right now and many have been quite vocal about it on social media. No idea why this particular woman was singled out.
How many other social media posts are singled out for whatever reason.
Relax would you.
The goverment was giving a stimulus plan. For the pandemic and look how long they are waiting just to give a little change. How you think people goong to survive.
They will have to learn to live with the virus. Is all over the word. But people are doing noal life.
A****n J***s bring people to the island for money hi usd to application work permit so he tiffs 3000Us to bring my cousins and no answer the phone hi doing this for plenty people I going the police and the police don’t nothing I call immigration no answer I want my money ?
Please tell the Governor who is bringing persons in to the territory for $$ and I am sure that he will look into it.
I know a company that do all the paper work from start to finish to get people who got shut out back for$300.00 and the success rate is 100%….before you spend investigate, thats what i did, I took my intetest to social media and someone answered and im back just for $300.00. This doesnt include your ticket…
Serves you f right for trying to smugglle inyour relatives during covid
Read and understand.
I first thought it was smuggling but the individual is saying the name in asterisk made it seem that forms were being filled out to bring them in on work permit and they paid for assistance but they were defrauded out of their money
Please open schools before bars and clubs this time around
That community board racist bad. Only good of you white. Use the real one much better
Time Government members start getting half pay, then they will realize how difficult life is…They live good they don’t get it…An Animal in the field of green grass doesn’t know how an Animal in the Pen feels about hunger and thirst…
Now this is out in the public domain I would urge all journalists to investigate and find out why someone that has never even visited the BVI has so much control over this vital resource. We are subject to her whims on what posts are allowed and what can be discussed. Although Facebook groups are set up privately this one has a big impact on the bvi as a whole. This woman should be removed. Let people here choose how the group is run.
Has Ms.Bongarth always paid her employees fairly?
You reaching at thin air….what employees….she works alone
Only when govt members stop getting pay, or gets half pay and by the way, thats what they should be getting, they will start listenting to people and believing people when they say, they are hurting, but sad to say, as long as they continue to get full pay and living good, the sufferers voice is falling on deaf Ears….
That is what is going on too many foreigners in the place.
Not because of racism this is bad but because they quick to say they are not from here, but want to lead the territory in a certain direction while the nationals are drowned out.
Many if not the majority of comments that make on these sites are foreigners. And a too many of them pose as VI people online even to stir up racial hate and the encourage other foreigners to hate VI people. They think that will get them somewhere.
Some of them are non national caucasian persons too. When you pay close attention all this will be observed.
N, please shut your big mouth for once. You are always talking like you born here. You are not! You came here on a work permit and was sponsored to be employed here. You stole your employers customers and wiggled your way into owning a business, which is not REALLY yours, is it? You mouth is disrespectful and people are tired of hearing it. Go lay down and realize that ‘all’ businesses are suffering. What about those who make their entire lively hood from strictly tourists with no income for 6 months now? At least you got to open a little bit and you will get to open again soon. Take a chill pill.