Owners of hotels and guesthouses that are being used by the state government to house medical staff on Covid-19 duty are becoming increasingly anxious as they have yet to receive any payment from the government.
“It’s not only the guesthouses, but almost all suppliers, transporters, service providers and vendors who have partnered with the government during the Covid-19 crisis have been left high and dry for want of payment,” an owner, who requested anonymity, told Highland Post.
“Why is the government not releasing payment? Where and why is the Covid-19 fund held up while people are left to fend for themselves in these difficult times? Is the state government diverting the funds elsewhere or are they lying idle in the bank? It is time that the government comes clean and declares why the payments are not being made to us.”
The hospitality industry has been facing great hardships since the coming of Covid-19 and hotels and guesthouses are not in a position to pay electricity bills, staff salaries or rent.
“We cannot delay the payment for our staff, including those engaged to serve food to the medical staff in the guesthouses four times daily, the cleaners and others that attend to the guests’ various needs, so the government should understand that it cannot continue to delay our payment and play with the lives of people who have given their support to the government in time of crisis,” an owner said.
