RSSSigns of the Times
Jan 30
Economy, Personal, Society Comments Off
RIGA – In a memory of many middle-aged people here in Latvia, the times of the Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis are associated with the turbulent times of the 1990s. Back then, the tiny country won its independence from the Soviet Union and launched into the establishment of the political system that is in trouble today. The images of empty shelves as the one to the right are fresh on their mind. The photo, incidentally, was taken in 1987, part of the One Day in Latvia project.
Yet, we hope that the 1990s will not make a comeback. We hope that we won’t have to stand in line for basic necessities. At the same time though, it’s hard not to notice that it is beginning to smell like the 90s. The national office of statics today said the retail trade turnover shrunk by 4 percent in December, compared to the month before. Or almost 17 percent year-on-year. The prognosticators are predicting tough times for the once-robust economy, sending chills down my spine.
The numbers are abstract. Signs of economic changes are as real as stories of people who lost their jobs having no money for a simple 40-santimi bus ticket.
A few months ago, a hall that once was a gambling facility in our office building right across the river from the Old Town welcomed a new tenant. Written in the Wild West fashion, the sign told everyone that “Soon, a country music club will open here.” This sign is perhaps a metaphor how badly economy has turned since then. A few weeks later, part of the sign declaring that the club will be a country club has disappeared. Apparently the owners decided to open just a club across from where they’re building the new Castle of Light. The other day, the owners made another modification. Now the sign reads, “Soon will open.”
Signs of times continue to persist. In the last week, strangers asked me three times for some changes to buy a tram ticket. Usually, asking for a smoke, or some change is used as a way to get into a fight, but this time, those people seemed genuinely looking for some help.
Another tenant on our floor was moving out. A group of young men moved the office furniture from the fifth floor to a moving truck parked downstairs by the front door. Along with the office furniture, they also removed everything that they could find in our only bathroom – the toilet paper holder, the paper towels holder, basically anything but the sink and the toilet. Though one thinks if they had more time and less risk, they would have taken those too.
Recent Comments