Barranquilla Casinos. Alfonso Santana (who appears in the photograph), is an operator from Barranquilla. And he answered four questions, explaining the need to give the casinos a reopening date:
MV: With the total closure of casinos since March, how have you been affected?
AS: I think that like most of the casino operators. Because it is something that you did not have planned. It caught us by surprise despite we were watching news from abroad. In financial matters, we are genuinely concern. The leases continue to run, and we have been unopened for more than two months. Maintaining workers' wages is difficult because we are now going for 3 months without income. And it is not only one but also the families of those who work with me, we are all affected.
MV: Were you able to access any of the financing options that the government gave to SMEs?
AS: No, because currently the casinos, when one goes to look for a bank aid it is an entry no. But I ask them why, I pay taxes and they answer that casinos are seen as money laundering and things like that.
In theory, if one contributes directly to health, but at the moment we need help, they do not give it to us. And they don't give us a date either. The planning has been complicated. And one feels that the government does not support because one asks for help and they do not give it.
So how do we overcome this situation? Very difficult
MV: Are you prepared in case the permits to reopen the casinos are given?
AS: If you have not given me a date. how I am going to assemble the protocols and implements and make an unnecessary expense. imagine that they tell me that we opened in December and I have made that investment. We are all aware that it is something we have to do. But we need a date no matter if it is in 10 days or 15 days. With an endorsement not only from Coljuegos but also from the mayoralties.
MV: Do you have the defined protocols?
AS: Not yet, for the same reason that I mentioned earlier. They don't tell us anything. We all agree that it should be done. but we want you to define a opening date to be able to have clear and make the adequate planning for a safe reopening.
MV: Thank you very much for sharing your opinion with us, it is very important.
AS: Thanks to you, all we really want is to work and continue contributing to the country. But we cannot make an investment to comply with biosecurity protocols without knowing when we will reopen casinos. Time continues to run as do fixed costs.
