The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

AFTER a fire burned six stalls to the ground last year, a Potter’s Cay vendors association representative said she is satisfied with the temporary plans the government has for the area, which should be “out in the next week or two”.

The fire back in April 2021 left six stalls completely destroyed and two others with damage. Two boats were also destroyed.

Yesterday, Potter’s Cay Dock Fish, Fruit, and Vegetables Vendors Association president Ormanique Bowe said she had a meeting with a government official two months ago about the issue.

“Plans are still at the Ministry of Works and they are just awaiting the final sign off on those plans,” she said.

“He (the government minister) told the vendors who were affected by the fire that they could go away and put up tents and work temporarily if they wanted to, but the temporary plans for the structure that the government has for them should probably be out in the next week or two and moving forward the vendors will be able to build their own stalls with funds the government and (the) Ministry of Tourism has donated to FYP to go ahead and construct the temporary structures. “With the temporary structures, I’m satisfied because they’re going to be solid structures.”

Last May, then Minister of Agriculture Michael Pintard said the Minnis administration had plans to assist vendors at Potter’s Cay who lost their businesses due to the fire.

At the time, he said the assistance would come in the form of building materials, adding there were plans to mark out the location for the rebuilding of six stalls.

Asked if the Minnis administration did enough to help after the fire, Ms Bowe said: “No, they didn’t do anything. They put things in place but... this administration has to pick up where they left off because if you look from April of 2020 from September of 2020 at least those plans should have been pushed I think more.

“I think more force should have been given for them to push it for them to be back in there sooner than now. So now you’re dealing with a new administration what have a whole different set of plans... They have to clean up and then start over. So they’ve only been in four months and like I told my vendors, let’s try and give them a timeline and give them a chance to deal with what they have to deal with.”

She also said: “Let’s look at it like this. The government only owned property meaning the wharf - that is what they’re leasing. The stalls that was built on that property was not owned by the government we have to realise that. The fire was in April, the previous government did not do anything in the six months they were in. They promised them the same thing.

“Now what this government administration is trying to do is work swiftly for them to get them back out there but we have still realise that it’s two plans. The temporary plan what they have in place which should be released next week and that should be an actual building, not tents. Then you have the ideal plan. The ideal plan is the plan whereas the entire Potter’s Cay dock is going to be transformed in a uniform type fashion. I could only say we have to still hold probably another month or two.”

Executive officials of the Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs recently met several top union executives to discuss a number of administrative matters regarding the public markets and the rebuilding of the six stalls on Potter’s Cay Dock that were destroyed by the fire.

During the meeting, Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs Clay Sweeting presented the Ministry of Public Works’ plans for the construction of the stalls. A press release from the ministry said it is anticipated that the new stalls will provide the model for other stalls at Potter’s Cay.