Businesses in Port-of-Spain have seen a significant drop in sales following the discovery of Shannon Banfield’s decomposing body at IAM and Company last Thursday.
President of the Downtown Owners and Merchants Association (Doma) Gregory Aboud told the T&T Guardian: “There has been an effect on the overall performance of businesses in the city. We have made a request for a visible presence of the police in the city and we have had some positive response to that request.
“We have seen an improvement in the visible presence of the police service since the incident and we are confident that safety and normal conditions will return to Port-of-Spain for Christmas.”
Stacy McPherson, a supervisor Miguel Moses and Sons on Frederick Street, said the popular fabric store has had fewer sales in the last few days.
“This is a worry to us because we are approaching Christmas which is supposed to be the busiest time for our store but customers are trickling in. Things are generally slow from last Thursday,” she said.
She said it was a worrying trend and she is hoping that in the coming days things will improve.
“We are keeping our fingers crossed that things will get better by next week,” she said.
Jack Manazer, manager of Jack in the Box on Queen Street, a store which sells brand name colognes and perfumes, said he has noticed a significant decline in sales.
“I can’t even tell you what my sales were yesterday. You would not believe me,” he said.
While admitted the store had been affected by the slowdown in economic activity over the last few months, Manazer said in the last few days sales have slumped by 90 per cent.
“Just like the United States, the month of December represents 60 to 70 per cent of annual sales for a business. If I don’t make in the month of December, I don’t know what will happen,” he said.
Manazer said after investing $100,000 to boost his business, this was the last thing he expected.
Ann Ayoung Chee, manager of All in One Limited on Charlotte Street, said for the popular retail outlet, which was already being affected by the downturn in the economy, the IAM incident was a “double whammy”. She told the T&T Guardian: “You can see there is no build-up at the cash lines. When you look down at the floor it’s not busy.”
Aboud said Doma will go all out to protect women who shop in the city.
“Women constitute between 70 to 75 per cent of customers in Port-of-Spain. We are very determined to protect them. We know the best way to protect them is to catch and prosecute those terrible monsters who have committed this act,” he said.