Scores of vendors swarmed around Free National Movement Leader Tommy Turnquest and the partyﾴs chairman, Carl Bethel, on Thursday afternoon as they came to the aid of the vendors who had asked them to come to the market to see first hand the ﾓdeplorableﾒ conditions they are being subjected to.
Their primary concerns included poor ventilation and inadequate bathroom facilities.
When the Bahama Journal arrived at the makeshift Bay Street market, tourists were seen leaving, complaining of the unbearable heat. Others were drinking water while attempting to clear the sweat from their faces.
Some vendors were seen fanning with straw materials, while others were sitting underneath tables to hide themselves from the sun.
“For far too long we had to work under these conditions and enough is enough. We canﾴt take it [any] more.
“We need the Ministry to address our issues or we would be forced to protest,” Marlene Edwards, a vendor of 40 years, said.
Mrs. Edwards pointed out to Mr. Turnquest a two-toilet bathroom unit that is used to supply the hundreds of workers in the market and the thousands of tourists who pass through every week.
“The men and women have to use the same bathroom and this is inhumane. Tourists are even complaining about the poor facilities and the limited bathroom facility.”
The FNM leader appealed to the government to address the vendors concerns.
“I am calling on the government to deal with the conditions at the straw market because it is totally unacceptable three years into their term and vendors are in the same condition,” Mr. Turnquest said.
He added that despite the fact that funds were allocated for the straw market in the budget little work has started in trying to make the vendors comfortable.
“The tourists are walking through and they are unable to remain under the tent long; so it makes no sense having all these tourists if the Bahamian people arenﾴt going to benefit from it,” Mr. Turnquest said.
A visitor from one the cruise ships, meanwhile, complained that she was unable to shop due to the excessive heat.
“It is so miserable in here. I have to go because as I go farther and farther through the market it gets hotter and hotter. If something could be done to help the people then it needs to be done,” Lisa Guadagnoli, who was visiting from California, said.
Another vendor, Luke Small, said that he was disheartened that the government has “neglected” the vendors for all these years.
“I have to be in here with my girls with no fans and no ventilation, two toilets and itﾴs almost four years and the first block has not started yet on the new straw market; this is not right,” Mr. Small said.
Mr. Bethel promised the angry vendors that the FNM will agitate to have the conditions improved.
“I think that itﾴs a disgrace. The tent was acceptable during the aftermath of the straw market fire [in 2001] but three years down the road and several budgets later for the vendors to still be in this type of predicament is unacceptable and inhumane,” the FNM chairman charged.
However, William Munnings an official in the Ministry of Trade and Industry with responsibility for straw markets said that there is no need for a protest because the government intends to address the concerns within days.
He explained that an order was placed to have new fans installed in the straw market in the not too distance future.
Mr. Munnings also said the government sympathizes with the vendors, especially during the summer months.
Bianca Symonette, The Bahama Journal
