The owners of tourist establishments in Lebanon, brought to their knees by a long economic crisis aggravated by the recent deadly explosion in Beirut, announced on Tuesday the resumption of their activities despite the reestablishment of containment to fight against the new coronavirus.
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“From tomorrow (Wednesday), we will open our doors,” said Tony Rami, president of the union of owners of restaurants, cafes, nightclubs and pastry shops, at a press conference in the street, in the one of the most devastated districts of the capital by the explosion of August 4.
“Demagogic closure decisions do not concern us. We have to coexist with the coronavirus, ”he added.
He also spoke on behalf of trade unions in the tourism sector, grouping together hotels and bathing establishments.
Mr. Rami denounced a “corrupt” state that has taken no action to compensate the tourism sector.
The Lebanese authorities have imposed since August 21 a new two-week confinement, to fight against the spread of the coronavirus, with a closure of shops and a night curfew from 6 p.m.
Contaminations skyrocketed after the explosion in early August: 13,155 cases including 126 deaths, according to the latest report on Monday. On August 3, it recorded 5,062 cases including 65 deaths since February 22.
This new confinement deals an additional blow to a private sector already affected by the economic crisis and by the explosion at the port of Beirut, which has damaged more than half of the restaurants in the capital and its region, according to sector officials.
In addition, Mr. Rami announced that the whole tourism sector had decided to practice “civil disobedience” and would no longer pay taxes.
“We will no longer pay a cent before the advent of a new and trustworthy state”, he proclaimed, while the audience chanted “Revolution!” “And” Down with the reign of thugs! “.
According to him, the explosion at the port caused about a billion dollars in damage to the tourism industry, including 315 million for restaurants alone.
The explosion of August 4, due according to the authorities to the presence of an enormous quantity of ammonium nitrate in a warehouse in the port of Beirut, fueled the anger of the Lebanese against the ruling class which they blame for the tragedy which killed more than 180 people.
