The Tribune

POTTER’S Cay vendors yesterday said they expect to be informed in a fortnight’s time when building materials will be released to repair the devastation caused by last April’s fire.

Wendi Constantine, the Bahamas Dock and Allied Venues Vendors Association (BDAVVA) president, told Tribune Business she is “happy” that the Government is working with the group to fully restore the destination after several stalls on the eastern side were destroyed in the blaze.

“I am happy to say that this government, as promised, is working with the union,” she said. “We had a discussion on Monday with minister Clay Sweeting, and the meeting was quite positive. We should hear back from him in two weeks to have the materials that they have released.

“They have some materials set aside at FYP (Builders Mall), and also some funds were set aside. We need to see a copy of the plans because only with that we will know how much is needed to complete the stalls.”

The Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island affairs, in a statement, said it had presented the Ministry of Works’ plans for the reconstruction of the six vendor stalls destroyed in the fire with hopes that these will provide a model for all Potter’s Cay businesses moving forward.

Mr Sweeting, minister of agriculture, marine resources and Family Island affairs, said the plans were unveiled at a meeting with the Potter’s Cay vendors, Bahamas Electrical Workers Union (BEWU), Bahamas Customs, Immigration and Allied Workers Union (BCIAWU), Bahamas Utilities Service and Allied Workers Union (BUSAWU), the General Workers Union and Bahamas Hotel Managerial Association (BHMA).

The meeting also addressed the reorganisation and development of the Arawak Cay ‘Fish Fry’ and Montagu Ramp, and the ministry’s “interest” in having the Blue Hill Road Market transferred to the ministry’s oversight.

Referring to Potter’s Cay specifically, Ms Constantine said: “They have made a promise to deal with the piling. We just need to sit down and negotiate some labour assistance, because we must understand that the vendors have been out of work for a long period of time.

“Then, last year, not forgetting COVID-19, the restaurants are the first to open, the first to close and the last to open. So the total time they’ve been out of work was for about 20 months. I’m more than positive that this government is going to seek to assist them in any which way they can to get them back up and running.”

As for “labour assistance”, Ms Constantine said there was “money donated” to the ministry for rebuilding the Potter’s Cay stalls and she wanted to find ways to get the money to work more in favour of the vendors. Business is traditionally slow at Potter’s Cay in January, making it a good time for construction work to begin.

Mr Sweeting said: “The ongoing efforts to restore normalcy are finally coming to fruition. We completed a successful meeting with Trades Union Congress (TUC) representatives to ensure that we are in agreement on the way forward to rebuild, restore and revitalise the public markets.

“My ministry is pleased to facilitate these discussions, and we look forward to providing solutions to the existing challenges together.”

Obie Ferguson, the TUC president, added: “We are very pleased with the response we got from the minister with respect to dealing with the issues that are related to him. The minister indicated that, within a short period, he would get back to us and we anticipate a very positive relationship.

“The minister has given us his commitment, and we will be able to review the plan. I think the workers and the vendors at Potter’s Cay are going to be extremely happy, and we are going to work closely with the minister to ensure that this becomes a reality.”