Empty chairs lined the sidewalks of Tumon Monday afternoon as a number of small business owners came together to protest the continued shutdown of their establishments.
Owning a business is tough, no matter what. But during the pandemic, owning a business became even harder especially with non-essential businesses having to shut their doors at the order of Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero. It has been over 250 days without revenue and bills are piling up. This is the case of La Mimi bar owner Mimi Perez.
“I want her to let us open our business as soon as she can. I mean, I understand the COVID going ton, but right now, we are hurting. I believe a lot of people have the same situation that I am, but some people maybe speak up, maybe not. I waiting for something to happen. Recently, we have one bar owner, she commit suicide. She just commit suicide … suicide three weeks but I just found out yesterday because we find her body inside the bar decomposed,” Perez said.
This news has hit the business community hard and they came out Monday to fight for the survival of their livelihoods. But without revenue, a lot of their bills are going unpaid.
Perez says she is hopeful that the governor hears their cry and let’s them operate like restaurants do.
“Just like all the restaurants can open for outdoors … why can’t drinking outdoor be allowed so that we can get the money to pay the rent and other bills,” she said.
The business shutdown lawsuit will be heard by District Court Magistrate Judge Michael Bordallo on December 8.
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