So the government has rejected the request for shops to open on Workers’ Day. Spokespersons for the ministry of finance said that circumstances were not extraordinary such as to warrant allowing shops to stay open.
I’m missing something here. What is the principle behind whether or not shops open on a particular day? Whether it is a Sunday or public holiday that we are talking about I am genuinely asking whether the government can put its finger on one particular principle.
Apparently an exception was made previously on Freedom Day (March 31st) when shops had been allowed to open. March 31st happened to be a Wednesday that fell two days before Good Friday. So one can assume that the reasoning was that with March 31 thrown in and with Good Friday being another closed shop day there would be too much shopping deprivation in one week (considering of course that this includes Sunday so technically three days on seven would be serious deprivation for shopaholics).
How does that principle work though? The GRTU argued that keeping shops closed on Workers’ Day (a Saturday) would mean two consecutive days of shoplessness. Has this therefore has become the standard measure?
To my mind the main concern with whether or not shops open on Sundays and Public Holidays are the workers themselves. In countries like France and the UK where the debate raged until the common sense free market approach (yes, I am biased) prevailed that was the main question.
The problem I have here is that the government (in this case the proto-conservative PN) gives the impression of having a problem with free choice. Times have moved on and many countries have Sunday (and Bank Holiday) opening hours for certain establishments. I would prefer to have a more clear decision on the issue – one that is not twisted by undecipherable exceptions.
So. Are you a pro-open all hours or do you too want a commerce free day?
