By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

THE Straw Market Authority yesterday officially launched its new day care centre and homework study area at the Nassau Straw Market, something officials said will finally do away with the concept of “cupboard babies” at the popular downtown locale.

According to officials, the term “cupboard babies” refers to infants of straw vendors who were placed in the cupboards located throughout the Straw Market as makeshift cribs while their mothers and/or guardians plied their wares throughout the day.

At a press conference in the newly commissioned day care centre, Straw Market Authority (SMA) Chairman Kevin Simmons highlighted the importance of providing a comfortable environment for the children of straw vendors throughout the day, as well as the importance of having personnel capable of ensuring the “smooth and effective” day-to-day running of both rooms.

“In the past, there was no proper facility to keep the babies,” Mr Simmons said. “We as the authority found this fitting that we ought to provide a comfortable environment for the babies to be in, while the mothers, or the parents, ply their wares downstairs.

“Presently there are two babies enrolled. If you walk through the market you’ll see that there’s more on the way, as there are a lot of vendors in childbirth as we speak, and so it couldn’t come at a better time.

“And so we look forward to serving these vendors. And for the time being it’s only downtown but this will be duplicated in all of the straw markets that the Straw Market Authority operates.”

The management committee of the day care centre and the adjacent after school study room is comprised of a registered nurse, SMA management staff as well as vendors. Mr Simmons said those on the committee will be placed on a “yearly rotation basis to ensure that this place is properly manned and maintained.”

Deputy Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis, present at yesterday’s press conference, commended SMA officials for “the visionary steps being taken in transforming the experience of the straw vendors here in the Straw Market.”

“I think the vision that you have for the Straw Market Authority and to translate it into the actual experiences of both vendors and customers, is truly born out of an understanding of this community of straw vendors,” he said. “This community of straw vendors has their own traditions, it’s a family, it’s a village.

“And this daycare centre, and the after school room has now taken the place of what I’ve come to learn to be ‘cupboard babies.’ Because before now the babies were put in the cupboards while the vendors attempt to move around and ply their wares. So they now have a place.

“And it is good that we have evolved now to where children are looked after properly and they are given the nurturing and the assistance with education that you have introduced here.”