Day: 7 April 2020

Two Monaco-based companies are doing their bit to help during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Swimwear makers Banana Moon and MC-Clic, a local outfit selling drones, have joined forces to help supply masks to those working with the vulnerable and elderly.
Masks have been in short supply since the start of the epidemic and when a call came from Monaco’s Department of Health and Social Action to produce masks for personal service, Banana Moon jumped. The swimsuit makers, headquartered with workshops in the Principality, are making “anti-splash masks” suitable for workers in the personal service professions as well as for kitchen staff at Princess Grace Hospital. The company has produced more than 12,000 masks in its efforts.
On their social media page, Banana Moon shared their pride, writing “Making masks for our country. We decided to take a little break from making bikinis to help with the masks shortage. Thank you team for showing up at work to make this happen.”
MC-Clic has taken another tack and has been busily making 3D printed masks using models normally reserved for people working with toxic-fume emitting solvents and paints.
“Mc-Clic is closed following Covid-19 events but remains in operation,” said the company on their social media site. “We manufacture masks in our workshops, using 3D printers. Our printers run day and night. If necessary, do not hesitate to contact us!”
They are donating masks to taxi and transport drivers, security guards, relatives looking after the vulnerable and whomever else requests them.
Additionally, MC-Clic has offered the use of three drones to be at the disposal of the Principality for the duration of the epidemic. One has a loudspeaker to disseminate messages to the populace, one with a thermal camera to identify people with fever, and a third that is capable of spraying disinfectant remotely.
 
 

The National Council opened its spring session on Monday evening with an agenda wholly focussed on the coronavirus crisis.

In order to “fight against the worst crisis the Principality has known since the Second World War”, the National Council has proposed certain legislature to protect the public interest in this unprecedented time.  

The council approved two bills which involve a two-month suspension of administrative deadlines, with the possibility of extending this period, in order to deal with the crisis at hand. This is meant to ease the worries for those who had impending deadlines after 18th March to file legal documentation or other administrative actions, suspending their responsibilities to meet those deadlines until after the health crisis bans have been lifted. 

A similar suspension for the judiciary was adopted, whereby for two months, jurisdictional matters, civil, commercial, social and administrative, are to be suspended retroactive to 16th March.  

Another bill pertains to employees in the Principality, making unfair dismissals during the epidemic forbidden and making telecommuting compulsory for jobs where this is a possibility. 

Finally, it put forth a legislative proposal that commercial renters be given leeway in the payment of rent due. It aims to secure a 20% reduction in rent from the private sector, provided the renter pays 50% of the monthly amount due during the previewed two months the government is keeping the population in lockdown. Balances due may be deferred into instalment payments over the following two trimesters under the proposal.

 
Photo: Stéphane Valeri et Jacques Rit © Conseil National