AMMAN — The commercial sector “can no longer tolerate the Friday lockdown”, said head of the Amman Chamber of Commerce Khalil Hajj Tawfiq.
Hajj Tawfiq, in remarks to The Jordan Times, said that the commercial sector is “in too much pain to tolerate the Friday lockdown” which he described as unjustifiable given the improved epidemiological situation in the Kingdom. “Uncountable sectors are collapsing,” Tawfiq further noted.
“Given the decrease in both the number of daily infection cases and the death toll, in addition to the stability of the epidemic curve and the arrival of the vaccine in Jordan, we hope that the Friday lockdown ends soon,” he added.
“It would be a strong decision from the government to end the Friday lockdown, and it would ensure equal application of law to all,” said head of the Zarqa Chamber of Industry Faris Hammoudeh.
“There is reason no more to continue the lockdown,” Hammoudeh added.
“Officials and specialists in the health sector used to say that using a face mask is a vaccine in its own right, now the actual vaccines have also arrived, so why the delay?” he added.
Hajj Tawfiq called on the government to issue a defence order exempting tenants from rent, especially those whose interests were compromised and their facilities were closed during the pandemic.
He added in his request that the utility companies be prevented from disconnecting the electric supply from the affected and closed sectors, and that the connection to grid be restored to those who have already been disconnected as a result of their inability to pay the bills.
He condemned what he termed “economic silence” regarding the severe damages accrued, whose effect, he believes, will last for years.
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