By YOURI KEMP
Tribune Business Reporter
ykemp@tribunemedia.net
Just 72 percent of straw vendors are returning to the re-opened Bay Street facility, it was revealed yesterday, representing a 140-person decline from pre-COVID levels.
Celestine Eneas, the Straw Vendors Associatio’s president, told reporters attending the official re-opening that out of 500 vendors in the Straw Market prior to its March 2020 closure, only 360 are coming back to work. This means more than one out of every four vendors pre-COVID may not be coming back.
She added that about 30 vendors have died between the COVID-enforced closure and yesterday’s opening, while others are still determining if it is worth returning to the market at this time.
With building work ongoing, Bacchus Rolle, minister of state for works, said: “The construction that you see is part of the protocols that the Ministry of Health required for us to put a sick bay or an infirmary in place. So we anticipate that should be done in about six weeks max. There will be completed bathroom facilities there for the sick bay area, as well as the lodging area.
“The overall cost of the project has been offset because a lot of the work has been done by the ministry itself. And so we stepped out to begin to work internally. We don’t anticipate this being over $70,000.”
Alfred Sears, minister of works and public utilities, said there is a “commitment” to the renovations. There also needs to be an elevator installed inside the Straw Market so that there is easier access for people to move about.
Ms Eneas, meanwhile, said: “I thank God that we have reached this far by faith, and I want to say something to the Bahamian people. I want to make it clear that I am proud to work along with the minister and his team because they put us as a priority.”
Straw vendors will be placed on shift systems to ensure compliance with COVID-19 related health protocols such as social distancing. They will be divided into two groups.
Group A will work on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for this week, and Group B will work on Tuesday and Thursday. Then the groups will change days next week, and work the opposite days, with one day off as a “cleaning day”.
Mr Sears said: “I am advised that it will be approximately 180 vendors each day, and the rotation is something that is being worked out. It’s a work in progress as we proceed.”
There are other options being considered if the shift system does not work as intended. A “week by week” system, with one group working a full week and then switched out the following week with another group, is also under consideration.
“Ideas on how to make this institution more competitive, much more attractive, were put on the table. And we will be having consultation with the Ministry of Tourism, with the Ministry of Health, as well as other stakeholders to implement the recommendations that have been put forward,” added Mr Sears.
Ms Eneas said vendors had reported that some of their goods, which had been stored at the Straw Market, were stolen. “When we came a lot of the vendors’ stuff was missing,” she said. “When the vendors came, their stuff was gone.”
Barbara Minns, a straw vendor, added: “When I came back to the market and opened up my locker all of my caps were gone, but it wasn’t that much money that I lost.
“My thing is now we are only working three days out of the week, and now the doors will be locked and we have to bring in our own stuff when we come to the market. It’s hard but we still have to do it.”
Stephanie Armbrister-Sands said: “The only thing I don’t appreciate is that they have the entrance closed, and you have to tote your things in yourself. You can’t have no help. They said the minister authorised this, but I don’t know if the minister knows that the authority is saying this order came from him.
“My thing is my mother has health issues. How do you expect her to lift heavy boxes up the stairs in her condition? While I know a lot of stuff was stole,n and they want us to secure our stuff, some of these boxes are heavy and grown men will feel the strain of carrying these boxes filled with t-shirts, so you can imagine an elderly woman.
“I prefer to keep my stuff inside overnight and I am going to. I don’t have a problem in my shop because all you have to do is secure your goods properly.” They penalise you for every little thing while you are in here. They treat you like you are school children; as if you are back in pre-school.”
Given the long lay-off, vendors will not be expected to pay any back license or rental fees. Mr Sears said: “There has been a moratorium. In other words, it’s not like a driver’s license where, if it’s not paid or not active for a year, you have to pay the previous years.
“There has been a moratorium because the Government recognises that if your business is closed, you have to have not just a grace period but a moratorium on payment.”
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