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The Flip Side

Cyclone Gonu may have left thousands in turmoil, but on the other side of the coin, many businesses are flourishing
Ceri Edwards

In the midst of unrest, it is inevitable that there will always be those who suffer and those who prosper. In the aftermath of Cyclone Gonu, those who were affected are now looking towards restoration, services and household goods companies to help them return life to a state of normality. As a result, such companies are seeing their workload increase, sometimes even beyond their capacities, and their profits are going up.

Karim Baksh Trading and Contracting in Wadi Kabir is one such company. General manager, Divakar Shetty, explains that Karim Baksh, which specialises in interior design and restoration, has seen its earnings increase by RO200,000 since the cyclone hit Muscat. The company's latest project is to restore three or four shops in CCC and seven shops and one bank in the Al Araimi Complex.

Moreover, Shetty adds that Karim Baksh is fully booked for the rest of the year. As a result of this huge demand for his services, he has employed 60 extra staff members, including electricians, carpenters and wood polishers, to help deal with the added workload. "Whereas we used to work a ten-hour day, currently my staff and I are busy 18-19 hours a day."

Dr James Prenter, general manager of Snow White laundry services, is in a similar position. He explains that although the time that immediately followed the cyclone proved difficult for the company, business has been running at full steam ever since. Of the 75 outlets, five of them were completely underwater and have become inoperable and will remain so in the near future. In spite of this, Snow White has lost no contracts as laundry from the damaged outlets were simply sent to a functioning branch and the customers were informed of the change of procedure. "We have been inundated with dirty clothes, many of which we had to hose down before we washed them. To cope with the demand, our staff has been working virtually 24 hours a day."

Likewise, John Philip, manager of an auto repair workshop in Wadi Kabir, is also benefiting. The small garage has space for no more than seven cars, but it is currently overflowing with more than 36. "Every day since we reopened on June 16, we have been receiving two or three vehicles that have been damaged in the cyclone. Over the past week we have received 17 such vehicles. This is in addition to the vehicles that we have for regular repairs and service. I have even had to refuse a few cars because the workshop was overcrowded," says Philip. His workshop, which used to earn about RO30-RO50 each day is now earning RO50-RO75 every day.

Amir Dehshid, owner and general manager of Albesat al Hariri, has also seen an astonishing rise in workload. "Business has increased by around 300 per cent since the cyclone hit," he explains. Whereas the carpet cleaning company previously cleaned between 600-700sqm a day, there is now a demand of over 1,000sqm of carpet a day. "The company used to employ five people before the storm, but due to the huge workload, I have had to employ a further 15 just to get the job done," he adds. However, although such a huge increase in workload appears positive, Dehshid explains that in order to deal with the increased demand, his company is spending more on water than before, as the carpets affected by the cyclone need to go through three stages of deep cleaning in order to be fully restored. Also, more electricity is needed and the increased workforce's wages also need to be paid. However, he is hopeful that he will start to reap the financial rewards in around a month's time.

Similarly, G B Chawla, retail and contract sales manager at Alasfoor Furnishings, is not yet experiencing the business boom, but is optimistic about a rise in sales within the next month. "People are going to their insurance companies first and foremost to try and claim on what they have lost, so I'm not surprised that there has not been a sudden surge in sales yet," explains Chawla. "However, judging by the influx of enquiries we have received regarding furniture prices, I'm sure it won't be long before we experience an increase in sales." Although Chawla anticipates a fruitful July, he explains that it is difficult to predict the sales percentage increase, as he has never experienced a disaster of this magnitude and is unsure how people will react in the long run.

Mohammed Abul Hashim is an electrician who came to Muscat in 1990. He says he has never had so many business calls. The calls are so many that he now keeps his mobile phone switched off. Post Gonu, he has been working 16 hours every day. Ask him about the increase in business, he says he can’t quantify it in percentages. “Earlier I used to employ about five helpers and could manage the business but now I need 10-15 helpers. I have also started subcontracting as in many of the buildings you need to remove the debris and clean up. I can get more work if I want, the phone was constantly ringing before I switched it off. As of now I’m concentrating on those buildings and companies with whom I already have a contract.”

The accounts are representative of the boom these industries are facing after Gonu. Probably this shows why economists around the world anticipate an era of prosperity to follow a natural disaster as fresh capital is raised, more jobs are created and more physical resources consumed as a nation gets back on its feet stronger than ever.