Coronavirus: construction sector likely to be the first to reopen (Updated)
A comprehensive proposal for the first phase of restarting the economy and the relaxation of movement restrictions will be presented to the president next week, a day before cabinet makes decisions on the issue, deputy government spokesman Panayiotis Sentonas said on Wednesday.
Sentonas made the announcement after a meeting where President Nicos Anastasiades was briefed by the scientific advisory team on coronavirus and Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou on the management of the pandemic.
Following reports on when relaxations would be introduced, Sentonas said no decision had been taken at all on the date of the start of the first phase nor which businesses would reopen.
But representatives of employer groups said on Wednesday after a teleconference with the labour ministry’s permanent secretary that the first to be allowed to launch operations would be construction and retail businesses.
Head of the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Marios Tsiakkis, told the Cyprus News Agency that it seems everyone agrees that construction work would resume on May 4 given that all health measures are observed. Related businesses such as stores selling construction material, subcontractors, plumbers and painters would also reopen.
Tsiakkis also said that other ideas on the table are for car dealerships and shops selling home appliances, furniture and sanitary ware to reopen.
There are also thoughts of opening barbershops and hairdresser salons and for supermarkets to open on Sundays, he said.
Head of the Employers and Industrialists Federation (OEV), Michalis Antoniou, said that kindergartens could also be among the businesses to reopen during the first phase as has been done in other eight European countries that relaxed measures.
OEV’s executive committee is expected to make decisions on Thursday in consultation with their team of experts based on risk assessment.
Antoniou said that in addition to the construction sector and the approximately 15 related branches that will reactivate initially, retail companies could also open such as clothing and footwear shops but under strict health standards. This should include retail outlets in malls although cafes, restaurants and cinemas would remain closed.
According to Sentonas, the proposal will be presented to Anastasiades by the scientific team and the competent inter-ministerial committee next Tuesday, April 28. Cabinet will convene a day later to discuss the new measures.
Earlier in the day, Finance Minister Constantinos Petrides told state broadcaster CyBC that cabinet would take into consideration the number of businesses in each sector and how many people they employ, their contribution to the GDP and the ability of some of them to offer on-line services.
The minister said that each month the economy is on ice, the damage caused is disproportionately greater, with many businesses at risk of not being able to reopen.
Sentonas said that during Wednesday’s meeting, the members of the scientific team referred to economic sectors that could be reactivated in the first phase, as well as measures to relax restrictive measures as regards movement, provided that epidemiological data and indicators allowed it.
“The members of the scientific team expressed their satisfaction with the results of the measures taken so far, noting the steady downward trend in cases,” Sentonas said after the meeting.
Experts reiterated that there should be no complacency in any way, Sentonas said to avoid wrecking what has been achieved so far “with many sacrifices and patience”.
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