Katy Soto, president of the Association of Bars and Restaurants of Bávaro, Punta Cana, expressed her concern about what she describes as, "something never seen before in our area, a reprisal against those of us who generate jobs, those who boost tourism and those who welcome the few tourists who manage to leave the hotels seeking to learn about our merengue, bachata and folkloric culture.".
Bar and restaurant owners in Bávaro announced the closure of their establishments and businesses next Monday, in protest against the time restrictions that they say the authorities are implementing as measures against Covid-19, limiting their operations, even with the considerable decrease in cases of the disease.
In a statement, the owners of these businesses expressed their displeasure and called on the government for commercial inclusion.
They stated that although restrictive measures have been lifted throughout the national territory, this is not the case in the area that first overcame COVID-19, and which has reported the highest number of vaccinated people, and instead continues to suffer the most from the limitation of customer service hours until midnight.
He indicates that this has caused many to not even have time to close their doors at the established time, because there are tourists who arrive at these establishments after 10:00 at night, so in the remaining time they are ordered what they are going to have for dinner, a situation that causes in many cases the Police to arrive and the visitors have to witness this unpleasant episode, some of them with the weapon visible.
Katy Soto, president of the Association of Bars and Restaurants of Bávaro Punta Cana, expressed her concern about what she describes as, "something never seen before in our area, a reprisal against those of us who generate jobs, those who boost tourism and those who welcome the few tourists who manage to leave the hotels seeking to learn about our merengue, bachata and folkloric culture.".
Soto confessed that she has suffered as a businesswoman due to the economic losses caused by the excessive measures, and as a human being, "because even my colleagues, other business owners, have questioned my character because, as president of the association, I allow them to persecute, harass and mistreat us as has happened to us on this occasion.".
In that regard, he called on the Minister of the Interior and Police, Jesús Vásquez, to intervene and understand the situation they are going through.
