By Kaitlyn Babb Guardian Staff Reporter,Torrell Glinton
Copyright thenassauguardian
Downtown Straw Market vendors are pushing back against a proposed seven-day closure of the market for maintenance, as they say the week-long closure could leave them in a tough financial spot.
On Monday, President of the Straw Business Persons Society Rebecca Small-Morley shared concerns regarding the impact of the closure, and urged the Straw Market Authority to rethink the decision.
“There are vendors in this market no different from the regular workers of this country, we live paycheck to paycheck,” Small-Morley said.
“So, when you want to close the Straw Market down for seven days, and you can’t give your children lunch, my question to them was, ‘Is the government going to give the vendors something to put in their pocket for the week to take home with?’”
Small-Morley said the closure, not yet confirmed by officials, comes at a difficult time as vendors are currently in the middle of a slow season.
“This is the slowest time of the year, some days you come out here you make $20 and some days you make no dollars, and some days you make $100,” Small-Morley said.
“We are no different from the average workers in the country. Vendors live pay check to pay check.
“So, when you going to tell us close down for seven days, that was a problem for me.”
Small-Morley shared that vendors have been asked to remove their goods and other belongings from the premises during the week-long maintenance, something vendors note is a further financial strain.
“What they are asking is for us not only to close seven days, but they want us to take all of these things with us,” she lamented.
“If you barely making money, many vendors have to hire a truck or vehicles to transport their stuff up and down.
“We have senior citizens, elderly senior citizens, who it’s a challenge for.
“One of the things I find that the Straw Market Authority does not understand the dynamics on this floor.”
She added, “They want to scrub the floor. We understand they want to scrub the tiles, we are not disputing the cleaning, but do it that we could get some assistance in the process.”
Vendors suggested for the Straw Market to remain open during the week, and close for maintenance on weekends to soften the financial blow, but that suggestion was rejected by officials, Small-Morley said.
Teki Mackey, who first began working at the Straw Market at age 16, said, “I have five children. My children in school, are they going to give me lunch money for my children?
“Friday, Saturday and Sunday, open back up Monday. What you need a whole week for?”
On Monday afternoon, Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper conducted a walkabout in the downtown area, speaking with some members of the Straw Market to hear their concerns.
“A great part of our country is built by mainly the men and women here at the market, who have been consistent over decades in building it to become what we now call the world-famous market,” Cooper said.
“I wanted to come and say thank you. I wanted to come to hear whatever concerns they may have at the moment, and there are a few.
“I will also have a meeting with the board of the Straw Market to discuss whatever concerns they may have.”
Cooper acknowledged the concerns laid out by vendors regarding the maintenance closure, as well as other concerns about ventilation inside the market.
He said that the government, in collaboration with the Straw Market Authority, is currently working toward finding an amicable solution.
“I was happy to hear that these matters are generally in hand,” Cooper said.
“Over the course of the next few weeks, they will be attended to.
He continued, “There’s some concern as to how that will be done, when that will be done, whether it will be done smoothly along with their operations and them not losing any income whilst it’s being done.
“Those are natural concerns and I think between ourselves and the Ministry of Works and the board, we’ll determine what’s the best approach to get it done.”
