The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

STRAW vendors say they were left exposed after being moved to Fort Charlotte, where thieves ransacked stalls last week and stole thousands of dollars in merchandise — but the Antiquities, Monuments and Museums Corporation says it was never responsible for safeguarding their goods.

AMMC director Don Cornish said yesterday that vendors were told from the outset that any merchandise left at the site was stored at their own risk and that the corporation did not assume liability for losses.

“At no time did we assume liability or responsibility for any losses for anybody,” Mr Cornish said, adding that the issue was discussed with vendors, the Straw Market Authority and other stakeholders before the relocation from Fort Fincastle.

The comments follow a reported break-in at Fort Charlotte just weeks before Christmas, when straw vendors said their tent stalls were ransacked and large quantities of merchandise stolen.

Margarette Rahming-Jones, a long-time straw vendor who previously operated at Fort Fincastle, said nearly $30,000 worth of inventory was taken from her stall, including jewellery, bags, sweatshirts, stuffed animals and customised souvenirs.

Ms Rahming-Jones, who said she has spent more than 35 years in the straw industry, said vendors have complained for months about poor security at the Fort Charlotte site, which she said is guarded by only one security officer. She also raised concerns about flooding during heavy rain and mould forming inside the tents.

“The water was all the way to my ankle when it rained, and they still didn’t do nothing,” she said.

Another vendor, Sonia Murphy, said about $2,700 worth of merchandise was stolen from her stall. Vendors said some were so distressed by the incident that they went home without opening, while others tried to recover income by approaching tourists directly.

Mr Cornish said AMMC had proposed an inventory verification system that would have required merchandise to be checked and signed off daily by vendors, the Straw Market Authority and AMMC, but said the proposal was rejected as too burdensome. Vendors were therefore advised that items left in stalls would be at their own risk.

He said AMMC security responded to the reports, and police were notified, but said some vendors did not fully cooperate with the investigation, making it difficult to substantiate claims. He said he was not personally informed of the alleged $30,000 loss and became aware of it through media reports.

“That’s sufficient to me for a criminal investigation,” he said, noting that police have not yet issued a final report.

Vendors were relocated to Fort Charlotte in March after the government closed Fort Fincastle for what was described as a four-month restoration project at the Bennett’s Hill water tower. That timeline has since passed, leaving vendors operating in what they describe as makeshift conditions unsuitable for long-term business.

AMMC last week said the Fort Fincastle water tower and the Queen’s Staircase were expected to be handed back in early December, signalling near completion of the $3m restoration project. Vendors, however, remain at Fort Charlotte as final works and regulatory approvals continue.

Providing an update, Mr Cornish said restoration works at the Bennett’s Hill complex involve Fort Fincastle, the Queen’s Staircase and the historic water tower, one of the Caribbean’s most visited heritage attractions. He said the nearly 100-year-old tower required extensive structural remediation, including the removal of spalling concrete, restoration of original architectural elements, replastering, refinishing and the installation of a modern elevator system. More than 100 feet of scaffolding and a secured construction perimeter were required to meet safety and insurance requirements.

He said the remaining work is now largely internal and non-structural, including drywall installation for functional spaces such as a gift shop, control room and bathrooms, final plastering, sanding and painting, and the reinstallation of restored or replicated doors dating back to 1928. The contractor, he said, expects to complete the work in early January, after which the Ministry of Public Works will conduct inspections.

“So the magic answer to the question is soon,” Mr Cornish said, adding that AMMC anticipates reopening Fort Fincastle in January.

He said AMMC has also undertaken improvement works at Bennett’s Hill, refurbishing vendor facilities that were previously condemned due to structural damage, termite infestation and neglect, and that stalls have been upgraded to provide a safer environment when vendors return.

Acknowledging vendors’ frustration, Mr Cornish said construction timelines are dictated by technical, safety and regulatory requirements and cannot be rushed.

“They have my cell number, they text me, they call me, we go on site. This is a relationship, even though they're not our direct tenants, and so there's been no lack of effort,” he said.

“But can you imagine that it's still a construction zone, and it has to be completed so that it could be handed over to us? It's like a new home until you get the keys, you can't put the furniture in and occupy all that technical work has to be completed.

“So our anxiety is just as great as this, because we've had to place our staff over there. All the liability of costs remains as Fort Fincastle staff are at Fort Charlotte. They've been there since March, so we've lost revenue. Our gift shop is closed and all that staff, security, management, support staff, everybody has had to go to Fort Charlotte, so I understand anxiety, but no amount of pressure will make it move faster.”