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Many shops and eateries in Colombo closed on polls day, others run with skeletal staff
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Most shops were closed in Maradana. Pix by Nilan Maligaspe
Business as usual : Material shop owner Lasantha Wijesinghe
By Kasun Warakapaitiya
A majority of eateries and shops around Colombo city areas were closed on Saturday as most of the employees had taken a day off or were working half day in order to cast their votes.
Bakery owner: K. Selvaraj
Some had made special arrangements to keep their eateries and shops open.
An employee at a bakery in Maradana K. Selvaraj (56) from Idalgashinna, said that he could not vote as he had failed to register as a voter there. He said therefore he stayed back at the bakery to work while other employees took leave to cast their votes.
The bakery owner, Izzadeen Marrikar (78), said that only half of his staff worked on Saturday, but he hoped to keep it open till 6 p.m.
A grocery shop owner, Thilak De Silva, said that he will keep his shop open for last-minute customers.
Grocery shop owner: Thilak De Silva
He added that he used to have employees and that he gave them a day off to allow them to go home to vote during past elections, but after the economic crisis he had fired his employees.
A saree jacket material shop owner, Lasantha Wijesinghe (53) told the Sunday Times that he was keeping the shop open as regular customers were coming to the shop to place orders despite it being election day.
Mohomad Hasan Mohomad Aslam: Happy to see an eatery open
Mr. Wijesinghe, a resident of Rajagriya, said he voted early in the morning and opened the shop even though two of his employees from suburban areas were on leave.
Customers were grateful that some eateries were opened.
Mohomad Hasan Mohomad Aslam (34) said that he dropped in at an eatery to buy short eats after casting his vote.
People were seen buying last-minute items at a few of the boutiques that remained open, although many had stocked up on Friday, the eve before the election.
M.I.A. Mohomad: Kept his sweet shop opened
M.I.A. Mohomad (50), one of three brothers who owns a sweet shop, said two brothers saw to the business as usual while he cast his vote. He said as other shops remained closed they would be able to sell more sweets.
Puvalandaran Jalini, an employee of an eatery that usually remains open at night and sells parratahs, noodles, and kottu rotti, said many employees were on leave as they had gone to cast their vote.
She said she cast her vote and arrived at the shop as soon as possible, and the owner had said they would close the eatery by 5.30 p.m.
Shops that were open were few and far between
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