Deputy PS claims vendors were engaging in illegal practices
NASSAU, BAHAMAS – As a group of seven vendors at the Potter’s Cay Dock were recently given a notice of eviction, a spokesperson for the vendors on Monday lambasted the move, and charged that heads at the public markets’ administration office are not open to discuss the matter.
According to Potter’s Cay Dock Fish, Fruit and Vegetable Vendors’ Association President, Ormanique Bowe, vendors who have been sub-letting their stalls have now lost their title of ownership.
Bowe said as it now stands, ‘enough is enough’.
“We will go and we’ll have a demonstration, and we’ll close the area down for a few hours,” Bowe said.
The Association president said she has made countless attempts to discuss matters with officials, but the door of communication has been closed.
“I was banned from the Public Markets Administration Office on Friday. I was sent a message not to come there anymore,” Bowe claimed.
“I am the president of the Potter’s Cay Dock Association. I stand for these people. I am stamped by the Labour Board to stand for these people. I have more to say on this dock than the administrators, and these are the things that they are doing.”
Meanwhile, Bahamas Docks Allied Vendors Venue Association President, Dwaine Bastian, said that this is all an injustice.
“We need some answers,” Bastian said. “We need to hear from the minister. We need to hear from the permanent secretary. We need to hear from someone – we need some answers on what’s going on here at Potter’s Cay Dock because it’s not fair to some of the vendors.”
On the other hand, Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources Deputy Permanent Secretary, Dr. Linda Moxey-Brown, explained to Eyewitness News Online that the vendors’ plight was self-inflicted due to illegal practices.
“You cannot sub-lease government property if it’s leased to you,” Moxey-Brown said. “That’s a no no.
“You’re robbing from the government and you are charging who you are proposing to lease to, a ‘zillion’ dollars a week, a day, or a month, which is totally illegal.
“For that, we can send a lot of people to jail.”