By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

GRAND Bahama Minister Ginger Moxey announced yesterday that the government will be providing monetary assistance to hurting straw vendors at Port Lucaya Marketplace and other industry workers on that island this week.

She said the initiative will cost the government $177,000, with money expected to be given out in the days ahead.

Payments in the sum of $500, she said, will be made to vendors at Port Lucaya Marketplace, the Farmer’s Market located downtown, the Fish Fry site in Eight Mile Rock and workers in the harbour area.

It is expected that over 300 vendors will receive monetary relief from the government, according to Ms Moxey.

 The vendors have long spoken about their difficulties in making ends meet due to the island’s beleaguered economy.

 Ms Moxey said the Davis administration is working on several initiatives to attract more tourists to Port Lucaya Marketplace.

 This comes after she and Tourism, Investments and Aviation Minister Chester Cooper met with marketplace vendors last week to discuss their concerns.

 Among the concerns shared by workers were the lack of sales due to low visitor arrivals, as well as the discontinuation of the National Insurance Board benefit and food vouchers they were receiving from the Department of Social Services.

 “We were there and there are many concerns with Port Lucaya Marketplace and not having the cruise passengers that come through and so immediately, the next day, I got an approval from Cabinet for an immediate relief for the vendors in Port Lucaya Marketplace that will be distributed sometime later this week,” Ms Moxey told reporters before going to a Cabinet meeting yesterday.

 “But there is so much more that needs to be done. One of the major things was the beach access and the fact that, of course, visitors when they come, they’re coming for a beach experience and we are now working with the Ministry of Tourism in partnership to develop a beach access that is secure and we’re going to also create other vendor opportunities for that area so we’re working to do that as well as to ensure that guests actually come into the marketplace so we’re speaking to the cruise lines. We’re also working in conjunction with the Ministry of Tourism to have something called ‘Taste of Port Lucaya’ to make it more attractive.

 “And so, we are like working on all cylinders just trying to ensure that business comes to that area and that guests come to that area to provide opportunity to the vendors there so it’s been a challenge and we are pushing forward doing everything we can to bring some relief to those vendors.”

 Ms Moxey also gave an update on the efforts to eliminate derelict buildings in the area.

 She said: “So we came into office six months ago and that’s one of the immediate things we’ve been looking at and there are some environmental bye laws that the port has presented, but you know, outside of that there are so many other issues that are going on. I know that our Attorney General’s Office and lawyers from the Port Authority have been in direct contact trying to make progress with it, but that’s one of the major things we’re looking at now and we’re working on it.”

 Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis admitted earlier this month that a change is needed for Grand Bahama to live up to its potential.

 His comments came after concerned businesspersons and residents held a ‘Let’s Take a Stand’ march to the Grand Bahama Port Authority.

The group expressed their concerns about the economic state of Freeport and lack of investment to the island in the past 18 years, with some claiming that the island is perishing due to lack of vision by executives at the Port Authority.

 “All I know is that there has to be a change and a fundamental change to see how we can get investments here to Grand Bahama,” Mr Davis said at the time.

 “We have been having over the years investments in many of our islands. And, unfortunately, (we) have not seen the same kind of interest here in Grand Bahama. When I say interest, it is interest that consummates itself at some point in time.”