The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

TWO months ago, Wendi Constantine was enjoying the benefits of her stable seafood business under the bridge at Potter’s Cay Dock.

A long-time lover of cooking, the 46-year-old said she had quit her job as a BaTeLCo administrator in 2012 and put her life savings into the business, which employed four other people.

In April, the government forced her to clear the stall she was given approval to erect, citing safety concerns that, according to those close to the situation, ranged from fear of a BEC cable beneath her stall, to fears that debris might fall from the “unstable” bridge directly overhead and injure people.

Whatever the reason for the government’s decision, Ms Constantine maintains she is being made to suffer as though she is a law-breaker. She is still waiting for the government to find a site to relocate her stall and pay her damages for the closing of her business.

The debacle has her questioning whether the government “believes in Bahamians” as claimed. The single mother of two hasn’t had access to phone and cable services at her home in two months, she says. She is now considering selling her only car to help pay for her mortgage.

Yesterday, an official of the Attorney General’s office, responding to questions from The Tribune on the matter, said: “We are making an effort to resolve it, but we haven’t reached that state yet.”

Contrary to what Agriculture Minister V Alfred Gray claimed last week when he said there had been agreement that Ms Constantine would be paid money in damages and that her stall would be relocated, the official said there had been no agreement between the government and Ms Constantine.

Although she has threatened to sue, Ms Constantine fears she won’t be able to get a court hearing until late this year, by which time her quality of life would have further deteriorated.

“I never thought I would see myself in this position,” said the woman, who added that her 19-year-old son, a recent Royal Bahamas Defence Force recruit, is taking care of her financial needs.

The Tribune understands that another Bahamian, Giovanni Sawyer, 30, was also forced to vacate his stall in April. But after granting an extensive interview to The Tribune about the issue yesterday, Mr Sawyer later claimed he got a call from a government official, informing him that a cheque in his name in relation to the matter awaited him.

Although optimistic, he said he won’t get excited until the cheque is in his hand and is of a satisfactory amount.

Ms Constantine is less optimistic about her future. “I don’t think I’m going to get any help from them,” she said.

Her concern about victimisation further complicates her perspective on the issue, she said, as she claimed that she left a top PLP position before the last general election, disappointing party insiders.