Private sector makes peace with president

The Honduran government and the private sector are working together to work as a team to confront Covid-19.

President Juan Orlando Hernández met with Juan Carlos Sikaffy, President of the Honduran Council of the Private Enterprise (COHEP), and other representatives of its membership such as banking, production, maquila, power generation and commerce, to plan the country's economy.

The plan will consider key milestones related with biosafety, economy aid, employment, production, food and health. The parties also agreed in aiding 800,000 families living in the most vulnerable areas of the capital Tegucigalpa and Choluteca, La Ceiba, San Pedro Sula and wherever new outbreaks are emerging.

"We join the Government's efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19. As the private sector we are aware of our commitment to guarantee employment, food and health guidance for the people in this crisis, for which reason we have decided to actively participate in all issues of social nature so that the negative impact on production is as little as possible," said Sikaffy.

He praised the government's work to flatten the curve and stressed that it is important to comply with biosecurity measures, so the productive sectors gradually incorporate themselves into their labour activities.

Pedro Barquero, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries of Cortés (CCIC) and one of the main critics of Hernández, highlighted that for the first time they are united, the unions and chambers of COHEP to face this crisis. He said: "Our resentment and differences are in the past. I think the differences I have had should be erased from our memory and we must work together to face this crisis in the best possible way."