The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE Port Lucaya Marketplace is open for business and thousands of visitors were out shopping and dining in the restaurants – a welcomed sight for merchants and straw vendors in Lucaya.

Two cruise ships – The Infinity and the Sunshine - were in port on Tuesday. On Monday, the Celebrity brought some 3,500 passengers to the island.

Many of the merchants and straw vendors were happy to be back to work for the first time since Hurricane Matthew pummelled parts of The Bahamas in early October. This comes after weeks of repair and restoration of the Marketplace, which sustained severe hurricane damage on October 6.

“I feel great to be back at Port Lucaya Marketplace after being home for three weeks,” said woodcarver Gordon Higgs.

Mr Higgs - a vendor at Port Lucaya for over 20 years - is optimistic that the tourism business will get better as more and more ships begin calls at the port, and when the two hotels in Lucaya are reopened.

“Grand Bahama is getting back together gradually every day; yesterday we had a ship in but it was somewhat slow, and today we have two in and it has really picked up,” he said.

The Infinity cruise ship was scheduled to call at Coca Cay, but due to rough seas the ship was diverted to Freeport instead. The Sunshine was scheduled to call on Monday, but sailed in on Tuesday.

Mr Higgs estimates that about 5,000 cruise visitors were on island in the past two days.

“On Friday when Port Lucaya Marketplace opened, the Balearia brought some passengers, but the ship that came in yesterday (Monday) had 3,500, and combined with these (two ships) today we had probably at least 5,000 people on the island, and the straw vendors and hair braiders are making a dollar - God is great,” he said.

Straw vendor Viola Hepburn said she was happy to see tourists at Port Lucaya again.

“God has spared us and we are grateful that we are here today. You see what I see - I see white foot, that’s what the old people used to say – that’s tourists. That mean we are blessed - the straw vendors, the shops, taxi drivers, and tour buses - God is good,” Ms Hepburn said.

Meanwhile, a straw vendor who is new to Port Lucaya, but grew up as a young girl in the straw business, was also grateful to be working again.

“I used to work at Royal Oasis for many years and after the storm I became unemployed, and so I know what it is not to have a job,” said the vendor, who identified herself as Beverly. “I am grateful to be back to work. There are a lot of tourists walking around today and I made a few sales, and I am grateful for that.”

Despite the challenges she has faced in her life and losing her daughter at the age 18, the vendor said that God is awesome and urged people not to be discouraged by the loss they may have suffered because of the storm.

Straw vendor Dorothy Pratt Bain said: “I am glad to be back to my shop after a month. In all things, we must give God thanks even though we had some damages in the Port Lucaya area. Fortunately, no lives were lost.”

Mrs Bain, who has operated for 16 years at Port Lucaya, said some of her items were stolen from the shop after the storm. She has been assured that the items will be replaced.

“I have been doing straw work all my life. I am very happy to know that the cruise ships are coming back to Grand Bahama. Through God’s help we will make it and things will be better, this is just restoration time. We are grateful that two ships are in and we are making a few dollars, so to God be the glory,” she said.

Althea Knowles, a 30-year straw vendor at Port Lucaya, is very pleased to be back at the marketplace and seeing visitors again.

“We are delighted to be back to work, and we are thankful the cruise ships have started to come in, and we are delighted to see them here and it is great to have two ships in today.

“We are happy and we must realise that we cannot control nature. God is in control, and I thank God we did not lose any lives. Material things were lost and some of my fellow vendors have lost everything out of their shops, but we are still here to speak about it and eventually we would get back up on our feet, but through the grace of God,” she said.