Trinidad supermarkets reject COVID ‘safe zone’

The Supermarket Association of Trinidad & Tobago, SATT, says its members will not be adopting the ‘safe zone’ initiative that was rolled out by the government to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed 2,454 and infected 81,857 others since March last year.

“Firstly, to provide context, we must keep in mind that supermarkets have been operating non-stop during the pandemic, unaffected by closures, as an essential business,” the SATT said in a statement on Wednesday.

“This means we were forced to embrace the flood of information that was coming out of the leading worldwide health authorities with respect to the use of PPE, sanitation, and what would eventually become the health protocols of handwashing, mask wearing and social distancing,” it said, adding that its members “are uniquely positioned to deal with it, having done so for the period since March 2020”.

The Trinidad government announced the introduction of the safe zones initiative on October 11, saying the zones would allow fully vaccinated people to access cinemas, bars, restaurants, gyms and casinos.

Businesses are required to display‘safe zone’ signage at all entry points. The owners and operators of businesses found in breach of the safe zone regulations face a fine of TT$25,000, while customers in breach will be fined TT$5,000.

SATT said that it has also held talks with the Trinidad & Tobago Medical Association to determine the best way to manage numbers, signage, wearing of masks, regular reminders through public ads, use of sinks, and other safety measures.

“We also have been proactive in the education of our customers as a national body, in tandem with several NGOs, to sensitise and create COVID-19 awareness. We were also the chief pioneer of vaccination efforts, having vaccinated close to 70,000 persons,” the group added.

It said that while it wishes to see government offices and public spaces deemed ‘safe zones’, it also recognises “the customer’s right” to access foodstuff.

“Therefore, we cannot, in good conscience, refuse them the right to access that at our stores while we feel, given our wealth of experience in the austere management of health protocols, which we already meet and exceed, having set the bar. As such, we will neither be naming supermarkets safe zones nor subscribing to that concept,” the group said.

SATT said that it wanted to make it “abundantly clear” that none of its member is engaged in predatory practices, but rising prices are being passed on to consumers.

“We are experiencing a deep fallout from the calamitous effects felt by the global supply chain, made more deleterious at this time by the pandemic,” SATT noted, adding that as an import-dependent nation there was little the supermarkets could do to prevent rising costs.

Still, it also noted that there are various efforts under way to constrain retail prices.

“There has been removal of VAT (value added tax) on basic food items and people have access to staples, which our stores do their best to keep inventory items for the indigent and vulnerable,” the group said.

“As a fiercely competitive sector, customers can be comforted by the deals and specials put out by the competition,” SATT added.

– CMC