Business people who have a shop, office or restaurant in the CBD (Central Business District) of Christchurch want access to their business. Most of the CBD has been closed since the earthquake in February. The Head of Civil Defence says it is too dangerous for people to enter this area. It is necessary to demolish dangerous buildings first.
Business people are angry about a number of things. First they want more communication. They want to know when they can have access to the business. Will it be tomorrow, next week, next month or longer? They also want to know if their building is going to be demolished. In a few cases, owners watched on TV as a bulldozer demolished their building. Nobody contacted them first so it was impossible to save anything. Some buildings had beautiful doors, windows or timber but a bulldozer smashed everything.
But most importantly, people want to get into their building if possible. Some left behind personal things when they left in a hurry – perhaps a wallet or keys. Others want to remove equipment so they can continue their business from another part of the city. Some people need files – paper files or computer files. One businessman said he had not sent out February accounts before the earthquake so he has no money coming in. Other people said they could not open the cash register when the power went off after the earthquake. If the building is demolished, that money will go in the rubbish.
Not all buildings have a red sticker. Some have a green or yellow sticker but buildings on either side are dangerous. This is the reason that Civil Defence cannot let people into the CBD. They just have to wait.
Vocabulary
access – if you have access to a building, you are allowed to go in; wheelchair access is a ramp at the entrance.
smash – break with force
remove – take away
files – information about customers
accounts – bills
cash register – machine in a shop with a drawer for the money
Grammar
“it is too dangerous for people to enter” – Here is the grammar: “it is too + adjective (for someone) to + verb” e.g. “6am is too early for me to wake up.”
“let people into the CBD” – “let someone in” This is a useful phrase e.g. “I don’t have my key. Can you let me in?”
Questions
If business people have contents insurance, why do they need to get into their building?
If Usar people can move around the CBD, why not some business people as well?
What businesses keep paper files?