PI vendors in an uproar

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Straw vendors on Paradise Island were up in arms Wednesday over a new schedule rotation being imposed by their association.

The group of disgruntled women telephoned Eyewitness News yesterday morning in hopes of airing their gripes.

According to the women, they have been at the brunt of continual victimization levied by the vendor’s association president Dion Rolle.

The saga began last week when Rolle informed the group of women that they will be forced to work the beach on a new rotation schedule which dictates that all vendors on the beach must divide into new work clusters and rotate their stalls on various locations at Cabbage Beach.

Rolle conducted a survey will vendors on the beach for their feedback.

A majority of vendors voted in favour of the decision.

Those who still opposed the move petitioned to executives at the Atlantis Resort to intervene.

The women who oppose the new rotation schedule claim that their working environment will be poisoned with bad attitudes and undesirable work habits by others vendor which the new schedule will force them to work with.

Ed Fields, Vice President of Public Affairs, Atlantis confirmed to Eyewitness News Wednesday that the women approached his office with their concerns.

Fields revealed that Atlantis subsequently performed their own poll with vendors to gauge their feedback.

He noted that an overwhelming majority, once again, voted in favour of the new rotation schedule.

Fields also revealed that the group of women, all sisters, who are opposing the new system are well-known for causing issues on Cabbage Beach.

The women have until Friday to either join the new system or face the possibility of being asked to set up shop elsewhere.

About Theo Sealy

Theo Sealy is an award-winning journalist who serves as senior broadcast reporter and weekend TV news anchor at Eyewitness News. He has achieved several career milestones, including his work as a field contributor with CNN, his coverage of four consecutive general elections, his production of several docuseries and his Bahamas Press Club Awards win for “Best Television News Story” in 2018.