By Rashad Rolle

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

STRAW vendors are once again attacking the government’s firm policy on arrears which has seen dozens close their stalls in recent years. 

Rev Esther Thompson, president of the Straw Business Persons Society, complained as well yesterday about annual registration requirements and poor maintenance of the market, among other things.

She spoke to the press during a tour of the facility by PLP leader Philip “Brave” Davis. “Vendors want to know why every year they have to register and pay a registration fee of $50 and why if they have a helper, they have to pay for the helper also, that isn’t happening no where else in the Bahamas so we want to know why it’s happening here,” she said. “Another issue here, vendors want to know about, is where is their money going?

“When this administration came in, we had vendors that had good arrears. This administration came in, they collected the arrears, they said they want every vendor under $200. Every Friday every vendor has to be under $200 and if they don’t, on Monday the stalls will be locked. So somehow, they looking for money because now that they brought every vendor under $200, they now saying every vendor that has arrears from 2017, if they never brought their arrears to zero, they still owe. Last Monday when we came we had a good amount of vendor stalls that were closed, some were closed for $54, some were closed for $73, $90, little amounts. Vendors want to know why.

“Then if you look at the maintenance, this building is not being properly maintained. Then there are no advertisements. This market has not been advertised. We have over 500 stalls in here. I call on the government, they have to do something. They have to hear the cry of these people. I’ve been crying in the wilderness for so long for these people, we need some results.”

The association has said more than 190 stalls have been closed since the Minnis administration came to power. “The vendors have been crying incessantly since 2017 about the manner in which the Straw Market Authority has been treating them,” Mr Davis said. “They’re not being allowed to operate without oppression by this board and authority. We were called to hear their cries because stalls are being closed for a vendor owing as little as $50 on their account when they claim the policy is you remain open once you under $200. They have been locking them out.

“. . .The other issue is a number of members have been paying their dues, their rents, but they have been getting nothing in return. The windows, the lighting and the general cleanliness of this place have deteriorated to the point they are concerned the atmosphere has become more oppressive.”