Editor,
The Covid-19 pandemic has thrown so many questions about government and citizen responsiveness to the greatest global health crisis in more than 100 years. The pandemic has led to a series of unprecedented policy measures ranging from lockdowns to requests for citizens to suspend their normal economic and social interactions to limit the spread of the disease.
Amidst all of this, small businesses in sectors which are most affected by Covid-19 and least financially resilient (such as accommodations, food services, educational services, arts, entertainment and recreation) account for a disproportionate number of low-wage workers, people with less formal education, and minority business owners.
We as citizens and residents can lend a hand in helping small business owners, supporting efforts to help them expand by trying to shop at small businesses first.
Buying from small businesses will help those businesses stay open longer and possibly make it through the rest of the pandemic. Many small businesses operate only online and don’t have a storefront to save on expenses.
An effective response would also require increasing small businesses access to credit and stimulus funding.
The State requires the support of their citizens of course, and it is most likely to work well where citizens are bound together in a “community of fate”, creating societal trust. It’s a reminder that we don’t control the tangibles. And the only legacy that holds any value is how we serve one another in crisis and in victory.
Manisha M. Pala
Shillong.
