Apr 6, 2021
Severe Impact on Belizean Business Due to Covid-19
The numbers are in and as expected, most Belizean businesses have managed to weather the Covid1-9 storm, but a few have gone under. Today the Statistical Institute of Belize released data from the Business Establishments Survey which examined two thousand five hundred registered businesses, mostly sole proprietors, for the periods March to November 2020. Eighty-six percent were able to remain open, but some closed temporarily, due to a drop in demand for their products and services, cancellation of contracts, or fear by customers of coming to their physical premises. Of those that shuttered permanently, most were in the Corozal District. Countrywide, however, there were considerable layoffs, mostly of part time workers. Eighteen percent of companies let staff go and twenty percent reduced working hours. Seven percent reduced salaries. Wholesale and retail as well as hospitality and food services report