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Day: 20 May 2020

Final push to pull Monaco out of lockdown

by: Cassandra Tanti
20/05/2020

Restaurants, bars and cultural institutions are set to reopen in Monaco on 2nd June, as the government prepares to initiate phase three of its deconfinement plan.
Finance Minister Jean Castellini and Health Minister Didier Gamerdinger held a press conference on Wednesday to lay out the exact details of phase three, which will take effect within two weeks.
According to Mr Gamerdinger, the positive direction of the health situation in Monaco is enabling the reopening of a number of activities in the Principality, a decision which is supported by the Head of State, Prince Albert.
Businesses now have 10 days to prepare, said the government’s finance minister.
Hospitality
The most awaited reopening is obviously that of restaurants, which have already been informed of the strict hygiene rules they must comply with, said Jean Castellini.
Tables will be separated at acceptable intervals, with a maximum of four to six people per table. Reservations will be required to avoid waiting in groups. Condiments must be provided in individual portions.
Meanwhile, menus must be readable on customers’ phones or displayed on boards. Individual menus are not allowed. The government is going so far as directing the type of music to be played in these establishments, encouraging “moderate” background music.
Valet parking can resume as normal if health rules are respected.
Bars can also open on 2nd June but under the same conditions as restaurants, so table or sofa seating must be provided to avoid people from gathering around the bar. Again, the government says music should not exceed a limited number of decibels. Reservations will not be required in bars.
In certain circumstances, some restaurants and bars will be authorised to use more public spaces and terraces, in agreement with the Town Hall if necessary. Nightclubs are not allowed to reopen, for now.
Museums and artistic institutions
Museums and exhibition halls are also free to start welcoming the public from early June, according to strict health measures.
The open-air cinema will resume, however traditional cinemas will remain closed for the time being. Gaming rooms are set to open their doors, and the SBM, says the government, has already presented various initiatives that it is planning to ensure the health and comfort of customers. The possibility of opening convention centres is still being studied.
Beaches
Sunbathing is allowed provided there is a 1.5 metre distance between towels and mattresses, even within the same family.
Sports
Individual sports will be allowed, however group sports will be examined on a case by case basis. Solariums can reopen, however saunas and hammams will have to wait, unless they provide individual installations.
Créches
A partial reopening of council créches is scheduled for Tuesday 9th June to Friday 28th August, if the health conditions at the end of phase two allow it. Due to strict sanitary rules, only two establishments will reopen however: the Ile aux Bambins and the Monaco-Ville crèche for a total of 80 places, reserved for the children of parents who are experiencing great difficulty in childcare.
 
Photo: Louis XV will be able to start welcoming customers from 2nd June, courtesy SBM
 
 

Interview: MEB CEO Guillaume Rose

by: Cassandra Tanti
20/05/2020

The Monaco Economic Board has its finger on the pulse of the Monegasque economy and the local businesses that support it.
While some sectors have taken an enormous hit from the Covid-19 crisis, MEB CEO Guillaume Rose remains optimistic about Monaco’s recovery. Why? Because, he says, this is not the same as last decade’s financial crisis or the Great Depression.
 
Monaco Life: What is the feeling right now among the business community in Monaco?
Guillaume Rose: The crisis has had an enormous impact, according to sectors. In events, tourism, air traffic, yachting, retail and small shops, everything was completely locked down. But interestingly the size of a businesses is not what’s important, it is the sector. Trade has not been hard hit at all, in fact businesses kept exporting during the lockdown, particularly with regards to food and beverage and everything linked to essentials. The food and beverage trade sector lost less than 20% during the lockdown, which is nothing compared to the rest. On the other end of the scale, when it comes to event management and tourism, around 90 to 100% of their revenue was lost.
What is the mood among businesses now the lockdown has been lifted? Is there a sense of positivity or foreboding?
People are still extremely worried. In all sectors, most people think – best case scenario – they will recover by the end of 2020, but the general feeling is that recovery will not happen before the second trimester of 2021.
Which sectors are the largest in Monaco?
The largest contributor in Monaco are real estate and construction, banking and finance, followed by international trade, which is not really well known. We actually have a lot of trade with Africa, but again this sector does not see recovery until at least December 2020 or January 2021.
The Monaco Grand Prix was due to be held this coming weekend. What impact has the cancellation of this event had on Monaco?
With regards to tourism, it is having an enormous impact. The State is helping companies in Monaco to survive by giving them money to stay afloat. But many operators of the GP have lost a lot, especially event management companies. Some only work with the Grand Prix and have spent an entire year on this project.
But I am not 100% sure that the State will lose a lot with the cancellation of the GP, because it costs an enormous amount of money to host it. Of course, for the hotels, it is catastrophic. May and June are normally the pearl of the hotel season, some make up to 10% of their entire revenue with the GP. By the end of the year, because business tourism has also been deeply impacted and will continue to be impacted until 2022, I think the hotels will have lost a lot of money.
Experts predict the coronavirus pandemic will trigger the worst economic slump since the Great Depression of the 1920s. What will that mean for Monaco? 
The difference between this crisis and all the others, including the Great Depression and the 2008/09 financial crisis, is that they were financial crises. This is not. When you look at the stock exchange, it is not bad at all. The banks have three to four times more money than they had during the financial crisis. So, this crisis is going to be different in the fact that money is still there. The economy has suffered but money is still in the banks. In other crises, money was not in the banks so they had to take it from the economy to recover. Now, in fact, it is the opposite. Banks and financial institutions are in a position to conserve the economy. The following months are going to be very interesting.
What about recession?
Yes, there will be a recession, no doubt, but if the financial system pays it forward, I think that it could help recovery in three to six months. Will economies soon recover fully? Certainly not, but I think recovery at least to the level of 2009/2010 will be easy.
Do you think we learnt enough from last decade’s financial crisis to help with the current situation?
It is a different situation, but I think that we know for sure that austerity is not the solution. Injecting money has been very well understood by all governments. In Australia, for example, which is a very interesting resumé for everybody because it is a country which is both big and small, they invested money and the country is already recovering, according to our MEB office there.
Do you see austerity on the horizon in Europe?
I think it could apply. It depends on the cooperation between Member States of course. Monaco is not really in Europe so it’s more fragile. But it can still be resilient because it is so small and flexible, we can create our own frame for recovery here which can be navigated by other countries. We depend on the European economy of course, 60% of our business is made with Europe, but we still think that, because this is not a financial crisis and because Monaco is a financial destination, we can take advantage. I think it could be an opportunity, if we are clever enough, to suffer a little less than other countries.
But there will be some companies that simply will not survive this crisis…
What is certain is that the government doesn’t want any company to fail or go bankrupt, so I am confident that it will make every effort possible to arrange the best conditions for companies. Of course we will have some victims, but the government is aware that these companies were not performing well before the crisis. I think that most of the companies which had good fundamentals before the crisis will survive, and the government will do everything it can to support their situation.
Much of the MEB’s work is generating business relations through international meetings. How has this been affected by the crisis?
It has been extremely affected, but for two months we have been working on new ways to help our staff “travel” through virtual meetings with chambers of commerce in other cities, to try and build new ways of generating business together. We think that this crisis will last until there is a vaccine, so we won’t be able to travel beyond Europe before then. But we will definitely go back to Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, England, and maybe Germany. In the meantime, we are working with tools like Zoom and Meet – something completely different in our way of thinking. We have also reorganised the MEB, promoting Justin Highman to my number two, and reorganising the team so that we work closer with the Energy and Digital Transitions which are at the heart of Monaco’s new economy.
Is the digital sector a major focus of the MEB?
Definitely. It is going to be a crucial sector and we won’t be able to work without it. Moreover, Diego Bonaventura, who managed Monaco Chamber of Commerce, is leaving MEB to join the Interministerial Delegation responsible for the Digital Transition. He will head up the Digital Business unit. In joining this dynamic entity led by Chief Digital Officer Frédéric Genta, he will serve to reinforce links between our two entities.
How do you see the future of Monaco?
Travel and tourism will start again sooner than expected, I am absolutely sure of that. People need dreams, they need to travel, to be entertained, to see new things and meet new people. This will not disappear. I am very confident for the total recovery of the tourism industry and everything related to it in the near future.
Economically, I think that the coming months are going to be very harsh because we all will struggle. Then, if we make arrangements – with the digital and energy transitions – and Monaco plays its role there and listens to the companies already present in the Principality and becomes a hub for new green technologies, I think we will be really well positioned. I am very optimistic for 2021.
 
 
 
 

2021 to be the year of racing

by: Stephanie Horsman
20/05/2020

The Automobile Club of Monaco has announced that the F1 Grand Prix, the Historic Grand Prix and Formula E races will all be held within a five-week period in 2021.

This year may have been a wash for lovers of the iconic Monaco Grand Prix, but the Automobile Club of Monaco is making up for it with a 2021 line up of races that are sure to excite racing fans the world over.

In a “past, present and future” set of events, the Historic Grand Prix will take place from 23rd to 25th April 2021 followed by the Monaco E-Prix on 8th May and the big finale, the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix, will round out the events from 23th to 23rd May.

With the cancellation of all racing events this year due to the health epidemic, the rescheduling of the Historic Grand Prix for 2021, which normally takes place once every two years, is a delightful surprise for classic car fans. Even better, the Historic race will be held the following year as well, in 2022, so fans get to enjoy it two times in a row, maintaining the biennial event schedule going forward.

As the logistics for such a huge series of races will be enormous, especially in light of new health and safety requirements brought on by the crisis, preparations will start in late February to ensure everything runs without a hitch. To make it happen, all the major players, the Monegasque government and 3,000 volunteers will be ready for action to ensure success when the time comes.

“To organise three races in the space of one month will be a first for us all at ACM,” says Christian Tornatore, General Commissioner of the Automobile Club of Monaco. “The logistical side promises to be complex but not impossible to manage. Because of new constraints, we shall need to start setting up the track earlier than usual, at the end of February rather than 15th March. We will then integrate technical aspects, on and around the track, required by every category that will be involved. In order to achieve this, we will count on the experience and flexibility of all the persons involved in order to achieve our latest objectives.”

 
Photo: ACM
 

Monaco teacher tests positive for Covid

by: Stephanie Horsman
20/05/2020

A maths teacher at the Lycée Albert I in Monaco has tested positive for Covid-19, but the government has been quick to allay concerns, citing strict health measures at the school. 

The unidentified teacher – who was asymptomatic – tested for the virus at the school on Wednesday, before a laboratory in Nice, where she resides, confirmed the case on Friday. The school is going to remain open for the time being, though the teacher’s students will be able to take a PCR nasal swab test.  

The teacher is reportedly now on sick leave and is under quarantine. 

The Monaco government told a press conference on Wednesday, that, “Even positive, the teacher is a negligible risk contact since, like everyone else, she wore a mask and respected all the barrier measures. The risk is therefore very low.” 

The school’s administration has contacted the parents of the pupils who have been in contact with the teacher in order to offer them a PCR test at the sport centre at Stade Louis II.

According to reports, the teacher was not in contact with other teachers, and the Monaco government is actively conducting an investigation to attempt to determine where she may have contracted the virus.

The news comes just over a week after schools had been reopened in the Principality.

Nazareth, a private school in Nice, closed its doors last week after a young student tested positive for Covid-19. The school is set to reopen on 25th May.

 
Photo: Lycée Albert I in Monaco, Wikipedia 
 
 
 

Monegasque icon needs your support

by: Stephanie Horsman
20/05/2020

One of Monaco’s most precious institutions, the Oceanographic Museum, is in need of support as the Covid-19 crisis strips the tourist-dependant attraction of crucial funds.

Closures of public places due to the coronavirus epidemic have affected many businesses and places of interest. The Monaco-based Oceanographic Institute, which encompasses the Oceanographic Museum and the House of the Oceans in Paris, are amongst those who have been seriously hit by the crisis.

Ticket sale-dependent revenues are down 70% on the year as all events and activities were forced to be put on hold for more than two months. This has left the institute in a position to call on the public to help in keeping the important work they do alive by asking for donations.

As a public entity, all donors are entitled to use their gifts as an income tax deduction of 66% of the amount given. For IFI donors, this amount is 75% up to €50,000.

“The trials we are going through create the need to reinvent ourselves even more deeply, to rebuild the link between people, species, the planet and the ocean,” said Robert Calcagno, Director General of the Oceanographic Institute. “This is why, more than ever, we need your donations to get through this crisis, face it and prepare with you the future, with a strengthened determination and enthusiasm.”

Since its creation in 1906, the Institute has been dedicated to the seas and their protection. The institute has made it their mission to educate the public and cultivate wonder of the oceans, as well as to mobilise the community to help the modern day problems the world’s seas are facing.

Donations will go directly to the facilities reliant on the funds from the Institute and will include caring for marine animals in the Monaco Centre for the Care of Marine Species, offering educational activities, aquarium upkeep, continuing research work and programmes on ocean life and protection, and offering experiences and exhibitions. 

To be part of this remarkable heritage and to contribute, just visit the dedicated website at dons.oceano.org.

 
 

Leclerc new face of Armani

by: Stephanie Horsman
20/05/2020

Without even putting his foot down in an F1 racing car this year, pilot Charles Leclerc is having a pretty stellar time with massive eSport success and now landing a gig as the face of Giorgio Armani’s new Made-to-Measure line.
When the Armani Group reopened stores in Italy on Monday, they opened with a new Spring 2020 advertising campaign featuring none other than Monaco son Charles Leclerc.
Leclerc has been garnering just as much attention for his wholesome good looks as for his driving skills since he first hit the Formula 1 scene in 2018, and now with this campaign, he will no doubt become a household name.
“Charles Leclerc is a very promising racing driver,” said Armani on his Facebook page. “He has achieved considerable success despite his young age, and this is an indication of his will and determination, as well as his obvious talent. He is fresh-faced and has an energetic physical presence that my Made to Measure collection enhances and matches well.”

The photographs were taken in Saint-Tropez by photographer John Balsom in black and white and exude the kind of Hollywood Golden Age glamour and elegance Armani is known for.
Leclerc isn’t the first Formula 1 driver to succumb to the allure of the camera. Other icons of racing such as Lewis Hamilton, who models for Tommy Hilfiger, and Kimi Raikkonen, who just did an ad for Alfa Romeo, have also gone down that garden path successfully.