By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

STRAW vendors on Grand Bahama said they are hurting and appealed to the government to resume the bi-weekly stipend that was discontinued in December.

The vendors at Port Lucaya Marketplace said they are not making enough to pay their rent and are having to dip in their savings to keep their booths open.

“It is horrible, and especially how the government (stopped) the stipend they were giving us every two weeks; it is hard,” said Suzie Russell.

“I been coming out here for two weeks and I only make $15, and I have bills to pay,” said the vendor. “I can’t go in the food store because now you are paying taxes on breadbasket items and even your meds.”

Ms Russell said things are very rough.

“If the hotel (Grand Lucayan) opened, we could see some progress, but until then something needs to be done. Even on boat days there is no tourists. So, imagine sitting down here every day with bills to pay, children to feed, and you going home with less than $50.”

She said the stipend kept many vendors afloat.

“We do not even make minimum wage out here,” Ms Russell said. “So, we are hoping the government starts that stipend again so we can get that couple of dollars so we can be able to pay our bills.”

The government’s unemployment assistance programme expired on December 31, 2021. Last week, an official said it is up to the Cabinet to decide whether it will be continued.

The vendors also complained about rising food costs due to inflation.

Vendor Merian Bastian said: “You got to eat and feed your kids and they gone up on everything at the food store – you can’t even get three bags of groceries with a $100.”

Ms Bastian said there has been no improvement in the situation at Port Lucaya.

“If the hotel opened, it would be so much better for us,” she said.

Marilyn Davis said: “We are hurting in this market! Port Lucaya is just like a dead place. The cruise ships come in and we do not even see the people. Where are they going?”

The vendors believe that the tour operators are taking cruise visitors elsewhere.

“Things are very bad out here; some days we come out here for a whole week and we don’t make a dollar. And we still must pay rent. I must dip in my little savings to pay the rent.

“The hotel — they need to do something with that. I don’t like to talk politics, but the government needs to come and deal with this situation,” she said.

Ms Davis continued: “They (the government) been down here over and over, and they have not even come in the market to see how we are doing in the market. It is very bad.

“Somebody has to come to our rescue. The government and the Port Authority have to do something about this situation in Grand Bahama,” she said.

On the matter of inflation, Ms Davis said that prices in the food store are “outrageous.”

“I don’t have small children, but I have grandchildren. And… if things are hard for me, what you think about people who have small kids? It is very bad.

“They stop the stipend, and the food vouchers from social services, some people ain’t getting that no more. We put them there and they need to come down here and talk to us – it is not fair to us.”

Vendor Beverley Gray said it is a struggle every day.

“My head is underwater, and I am drowning,” she said. “I cannot even pay the rent for my booth. There is no one coming in Port Lucaya, and I am ready to give up.

“They took the stipend away and we have no tourists coming to Port Lucaya. There are over 1,000 tourists coming to this island, and they say they have them in a bubble - nobody is coming to Port Lucaya.”

Ms Gray said that she and other vendors are fully vaccinated. She appealed to the government for help.

“I have to drive past the food store. Mr Brave Davis, I am calling on you, please - we need help,” she begged.

“At the end of the day when you go home, you have nothing to give your children. It is so sad, please help us. I asked that you please give us the stipend that we were getting before,” Ms Gray said.

Dorothy Bain, who operates a booth at Port Lucaya, said although it is tough, she is expecting a turn around.

“We are expecting things will turn around for us. The stipend was stopped, but I am asking the government to please give us that back, please. We would greatly appreciate that because sometimes you come out here and you don’t make a dollar,” she said.

“We were out here from 8am, it is now 1pm and we made nothing yet. We can’t even make the rent.”

A food vendor, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said prices on the island keep increasing.

“What is so sad, you are paying almost $6 for half a gallon of milk, and almost $9 for a gallon of milk. It is hard for parents and single mothers who have kids to maintain. And now you are paying 10 percent VAT on bread basket items. This should not be,” she said.

“Grand Bahama has been hurting from Dorian; the hotel is closed down and Port Lucaya is basically just sitting. It is almost like a timebomb waiting to explode because we don’t really have any tourists coming here. We must trust God who is our source,” she said.