By YOURI KEMP
Tribune Business Reporter
ykemp@tribunemedia.net
Arawak Cay vendors yesterday said the closure of the venue’s eastern gate entrance is creating a “turn off” for visitors to the Fish Fry and a drop in their income.
Rodney “Snapper” Russell, president of the Arawak Cay Conch, Fish and Food Vendors Association, told Tribune Business that this “near 20-year problem” has become worse with the gate now closing at 6m every evening. As a consequence, potential patrons are “clearly” opting to bypass the destination rather than turning around and going to the main entrance.
“Since this new government came into power they have stepped up security,” Mr Russell explained. “Whereas the gate used to be locked sporadically by the previous government, with this government the police officers are being told to lock the gate as 6pm every evening.
“Because of the gate being locked a lot of people have decided that it doesn’t make sense coming into Arawak Cay because I don’t want to drive past the Fish Fry and then have to turn back into the Fish Fry. That doesn’t make sense.”
Mr Russell said the gate closure has resulted in Arawak Cay vendors “losing business”. He added: “With the lockdown we had during COVID-19, some of the businesses have just now returned.”
The Association chief said that, besides the gate closure woe, Arawak Cay is suffering from a perception problem because patrons do not like their conch salad being made by non-Bahamians. “A lot of people feel as though Bahamians are no longer making conch salad, and they are drifting away from Arawak Cay,” he explained.
“So Arawak Cay is no longer seen as the place where persons come for conch salad.
“The other thing is there is a lot of conch salad being made all over the island now, so why should patrons come into this congestion to Arawak Cay.”
Despite the Saxons Junkanoo Group making Arawak Cay their weekly practice site, business has still not been as robust as Mr Russell anticipated.
“Yes, the Saxons have their practices on the eastern end of Arawak Cay, but I guess Arawak Cay has gone into the doldrums because things are not the way they used to be, and it as if we have lost our edge because people feel as if they don’t want to get conch salad from anyone else other than Bahamians,” he added.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs is ultimately government oversight of the Arawak Cay.
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