Stħarriġ li sar mill-Assoċjazzjoni tal-Istabbilimenti tal-Catering juri li l-maġġoranza assoluta tar-ristoranti mhumiex lesti li jillimitaw is-servizz tagħhom biss għal persuni mlaqqma.
Wara li d-Deputat Prim Ministru Chris Fearne ħabbar li r-restrizzjonijiet għal ristoranti li jagħżlu li jservu biss klijenti mlaqqma, l-ACE ikkummisjonat stħarriġ li wera li 86.3% tas-sidien ta’ ristoranti ma jridux jillimitaw is-servizz tagħhom biss lil persuni li ħadu l-vaċċin.
Minn dawn, aktar minn 90% ma jaqblux li l-inċentivi proposti mill-Ministru tas-Saħħa jiġġustifikaw dawn il-miżuri.
Mill-istess stħarriġ, ħareġ li kienu biss 65.3% li kkonfermaw li l-ħaddiema tagħhom kollha kienu mlaqqma.
Kważi 88% ta’ dawk li wieġbu dan l-isħarriġ qalu li dawn il-miżuri huma eċċessivi meta wieħed iqis li Malta ddikkjarat li laħqet il-herd immunity f’Lulju li għadda.
The survey reflects the ACE’s continuous insistence with the Superintendence of Health during our discussions that such measures announced by the Deputy Prime Minister were ideal in a pre herd immunity scenario. Moreover, for the proposed measures to be fair and just, they should have offered restaurant owners the possibility to operate without table capacity and distance restrictions. The ACE also proposed to the Superintendence of Health the possibility of a hybrid option similar to the current smoking zone areas available in restaurants.
The survey also highlights the sentiment among its members that the proposed measures will further impinge on the current human resource struggle the industry is facing.
Whilst the ACE understands the purpose of such measure – to ensure further vaccination in the industry, it feels that their impact will be wholly borne by restaurant owners thus affecting their long term sustainability.
The ACE feels that in line with the government’s intent to return back to normality and to mobilise the economy, the measures announce should have been more sensitive to the current staffing and human resources the restaurant industry is facing.
