The Association of Restaurant and Catering in Mozambique (ARECMO) considers critical the situation that the sector is currently experiencing due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to ARECMO, similarly to what happens with export-oriented areas (extractive and agricultural, namely cashew and sugar production), which are experiencing an overall reduction in demand and falling prices, catering, hospitality and tourism are negatively affected by the pandemic.
“We are facing problems of various kinds, including shortage of financial liquidity in addition to difficulties in assuming our operating costs,” said Aurélio Maússe, president of ARECMO.
The source said there is a need for measures to be taken to revive the restaurant sector, including a reduction in the Value Added Tax (VAT), currently set at 17%, as well as a decrease in the levels of contributions paid to social security and the price of energy.
“Most of the establishments used for catering we rent and we are without the financial resources to pay the respective rents. Many companies are behind in their payrolls and have tax debts,” he stressed.
In his turn, the general secretary of the association, Evaristo Liasse, considered that the restrictive measures in force that impose the working hours of restaurants and grazing houses for the period between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday and from 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on weekends, is creating some constraints for the sector. “Since the workers leave at 8:00 pm, it is difficult for everyone to get to their homes before 9:00 pm, which is the curfew time.
Therefore, we are asking the authorities to allow us to issue credentials that allow us to circulate after the hour provided by law, or to extend the hours for exercising our activity until 11:00 pm so that we have no embarrassment in case we are approached by the police,” said Liasse.
