As we work towards Singapore’s reconnection with the rest of the world and slowly open up our borders, I hope the Government has not forgotten the food caterers who are still reeling from the impact of the various safe management measures since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic last year.
It has been a dreadful 18 months and the majority of food caterers are still operating at a quarter of their pre-Covid level.
Social distancing and crowd-limiting measures have put a dampener on their vital revenue lifeline from big event catering such as weddings, graduation ceremonies, birthdays, family gatherings and corporate dinners.
Till now, most of these events remain cancelled or postponed.
I look forward to the day when the tight restrictive measures imposed on events will ease and we will see a return of catered events and sit-down buffets with some safety protocols in-placed such as the wearing of masks and using disposable gloves when handling food.
Caterers must also do their part by enhancing their safety measures and setting higher food safety standards to help revive this industry.
The Government has done its fair share in helping caterers stay afloat with targeted support measures and procuring catered meals for those on quarantine or stay-home notice since the start of the pandemic.
However, this source of revenue will continue to dissipate as the country opens up and more people are put on home recovery.
It has been a tough struggle for caterers and I hope that there will be light at the end of the tunnel.
