Signage at Jamaica Breeze Restaurant on 232nd Street and Merrick Boulevard in Laurelton, Queens. Notice says:
” Please maintain safe social distancing while entering, shopping and exiting the store.” Photo by Nelson A. King
Caribbean Life, May 29-June 4, 2020 3
By Tangerine Clarke
Noting that the Caribbean community
is very politically astute, Congresswoman
Yvette D. Clarke, who represents
the ninth Congressional District,
reminded constituents that June 23,
primary day is right around the corner,
and they must vote during the COVID-
19, crisis, that allows for absentee ballots.
“I want us to vote. There is one thing
that disturbed me in the last election,
the fact that we have over 335,000 registered
voters in this district, and only
30,000 people voted,” said the representative,
who expressed her disappointment
in a recent, Virtual Zoom forum hosted
by Jrg. Entertainment, and PowerJam
Radio Fan Group, to discuss coping with
COVID-19, and absentee voting.
“We want to assert our power and
garner the respect for our community,
but when we don’t show up and do our
civic duty, we are saying we are going to
allow others to dictate our destiny. That
should never be the case, particularly,
with the Caribbean community that is
very politically astute,” said Clarke.
She urged constituents to mail-in
the application to file for an absentee
ballot, a two-step process that must
be returned to the Board of Elections
in the postage-free envelope, in order
to vote.
“Of course I am asking you to vote
for me, but just as important as me,
is that you exercise your franchise to
make your preference known,” she said,
adding, that everyone has to stand up
like never before, and called President
Donald Trump, an inept, insensitive and
intentionally negligent President.
“You sent me to Washington DC to
be your voice and I am there each and
every time for the people of the ninth
district I represent,” said Congresswoman
Clarke, who will be returning to
Capitol Hill to push forward the massive
relief bill passed by the House of Representatives
to bring more COVID-19
relief to communities.
By Nelson A. King
New York City restaurant and bar operators
are praising Mayor Bill de Blasio for
signing a package of what they describe
as “urgently needed, lifeline” legislation,
championed by Speaker Corey Johnson and
leaders in the New York City Council, that
will help the hospitality industry survive
the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The NYC Hospitality Alliance, a not-forprofit
association representing restaurants
and nightlife establishments in the five
boroughs, said on Tuesday that the Mayor’s
signature on the legislative package caps
third-party delivery platform fees at 5 percent
and delivery fees at 15 percent.
The package also penalizes bogus telephone
fees charged by these platforms for
calls that do not result in orders, forgives
2020 sidewalk café franchise fees, and protects
commercial tenants from personal
liability clauses in leases.
“With third-party delivery platforms,
like GrubHub and Seamless, exploiting restaurants
forced to operate as takeout and
delivery-only during the crisis, with fees as
high as 30 percent, this legislation became
a priority in cities across the country,” said
the Alliance in a statement.
It said New York City now joins Washington,
D.C., Seattle, Jersey City, and San
Francisco in capping 3rd-party delivery
platforms’ fees.
The NYC Hospitality Alliance, which
has been a leading voice for the industry
advocating for this legislation, was invited
by the de Blasio Administration to join the
bill-signing.
“There’s been many difficult days for
New York City’s restaurants and bars since
March 15,” said Andrew Rigie, NYC Hospitality
Alliance executive director. “Today,
Mayor de Blasio, Speaker Johnson, Councilmembers
Gjonaj, Moya, Rivera, Adams
and Cohen, and all the supporters of this
legislation extended a glimmer of hope to
thousands of restaurants across the five
boroughs.
“We’ll continue to fight for the future of
the New York City restaurant and nightlife
industry, which must be at the core of our
city’s economic and social recovery,” he
added.
In signing the legislation, the Mayor said
“New Yorkers have been fighting every day
to flatten the curve and get through this
pandemic together.
“Now, it’s time for us to give back to
them,” he said. “I’m proud to sign this
package of bills into law to offer protections
for our small businesses, restaurants, and
tenants to ensure that our City can come
back stronger.”
The legislation regulating third-party
delivery platforms goes into effect seven
days from Tuesday, and the other bills are
enacted immediately.
The package of legislation signed into
law on Tuesday also includes Personal
Liability in Commercial Leases (Int. no.
1932-a) and Tenant Harassment (Int. no.
1914-a) in which landlords will be blocked
from enforcing personal liability clauses in
leases for commercial tenants who default
because of a government order to close
indoor eating and drinking operations during
the emergency, if the default occurs
between March 7 and Sept. 30, 2020.
The measure makes it unlawful to
threaten a commercial tenant based on
his or her status as a business affected by
COVID-19 or the tenant’s receipt of a rent
concession during the COVID-19 emergency.
“New York’s small businesses have been
devastated by this pandemic,” Johnson
said. “On top of closed businesses, they
faced high fees, harassment from landlords
and even the possibility of losing
their homes.
“I’m proud of our Council for taking
action quickly to protect them and thank
the Mayor for signing these bills that will
allow our small business community to
breathe a little easier,” he added. “We will
keep working to help our small businesses,
which are the lifeblood of our neighborhoods.”
Phillip Thompson, deputy mayor of
Strategic Policies Initiatives and co-chair
of the Racial Inclusion and Equity Task
Force, said small businesses in communities
of color “have disproportionately been
impacted by COVID-19 and are among
those struggling the most to survive.
“The bills signed today will give small
business owners in our hardest-hit communities
the support they need to get
through this pandemic, and help ensure
a fair and equitable recovery in New York
City,” he said.
Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke
sharing a social distancing hug,
after distributing food hampers to
members of a Brooklyn community.
Photo by Tangerine Clarke
Restaurant, bar operators hail
‘lifeline’ legislation amid COVID-19
Clarke calls on
constituents
to vote