Venezuelan shopping malls halve opening hours due to crisis

February 10, 2016 10:04 PM
CARACAS - Venezuelan shopping centers are scaling back hours of operation causing an uproar among consumers, in the wake of the government's move to reduce their electricity supplies in the early afternoon and evening.
 
Socialist President Nicolas Maduro's government last week said shopping centers would have to generate their own electricity between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. and between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. on weekdays. The measure comes amid a drought that has hit hydroelectric generating systems.
 
Most shopping centers will have to limit service because they do not have power generation capacity, according to the primary industry group that represents malls.
 
"The measure disrupts the quality of services that for more than a decade (we) have provided to more than 2.5 million Venezuelans who visit us each day," the Venezuelan Chamber of Shopping Centers, Merchants and Associates said in a statement.
 
At the well-known Caracas mall Sambil on Wednesday, businesses such as clothing shops were preparing to close at 1 p.m. and some escalators had been halted. Banks, movie theaters and the food court remained open.
 
Electricity Minister Luis Motta said in a televised interview on Wednesday that shopping centers have been required since 2011 to install their own generation capacity but that they have not done so. He said he expected measure would be in effect for three months.
 
Hefty government subsidies make Venezuela's power the cheapest on the continent, leaving consumers with little incentive to limit power use.
 
The OPEC nation is struggling with triple-digit inflation, chronic product shortages and a severe recession due to the tumbling price of oil and an unraveling state-led economic model. Maduro blames an "economic war" led by rivals.
 
Blackouts or limited electricity service are common, especially outside Caracas, the capital. The government often blames blackouts on sabotage, while critics point the finger at a lack of investment and poor management.
 
The ruling Socialist Party has over the years identified shopping centers as icons of capitalism that promote unfettered consumption. Venezuelans have continued to enjoy trips to the mall, in part because car-dependent cities are built around shopping centers rather than street-level commerce.
 
Rampant crime also has increased the popularity of malls as many shoppers prefer to avoid walking around on the streets.

Lawyer Roeland Zwanikken considers legal action against ABN AMRO Bank

May 08, 2021 6:14 PM
THE HAGUE--Attorney-at-law Roeland Zwanikken at St. Maarten’s BZSE law office is considering legal action against the intention of the Dutch ABN AMRO Bank to close the bank accounts of its clients in the Dutch Caribbean.

Fiscaal onderzoek bij notariskantoren vinden doorgang

May 07, 2021 8:04 AM
In het Antilliaans Dagblad: Fiscaal onderzoek bij notariskantoren
WILLEMSTAD – De fiscale onderzoeken bij de notarissen vonden en vinden, ondanks de beperkingen van Covid-19, weer doorgang en de medewerking aan de kant van notarissen en adviseurs is daarbij ‘over het algemeen goed’.

Juridische miljoenenstrijd tussen BNP Paribas en Italiaanse prinses verhardt

February 22, 2021 4:51 PM
  • Bezit van Italiaanse Crociani-familie op Curaçao mag van rechter worden verkocht
  • De Crociani's ruziën al jaren met BNP Paribas over een claim van $100 mln
  • Curaçaos trustkantoor United Trust heeft 'geen enkele relatie meer' met Camilla Crociani
Een Italiaanse prinses met zakelijke belangen in Nederland heeft het onderspit gedolven bij diverse rechtbanken in een langslepend conflict met zakenbank BNP Paribas.