Executives of The Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union, which has between a 35 and 40 percent ownership in the International Bazaar, are set to meet to decide whether to pull out of the venture.
President of the Bazaar Association, Vernon Fowler, who is also a union official, told The Bahama Journal on Tuesday that although the union is not now giving up its interests, it may be forced to pull out if business does not pick up soon.
He said union executives plan to meet on Friday to discuss those concerns.
Vice President of the Bazaar Association Chris Paine said although there has been a challenge getting more visitors to shop to the Bazaar, the Association is not giving up on the merchants and is looking at ways to increase business in that area.
“We are going to try to encourage more local businesses from the downtown area and other parts of the island to try and get their foot in the door here,” Mr. Paine said.
“I think most of the landlords would be willing to offer incentives for rentals just to get people to establish businesses here so when the [Royal Oasis Resort] does get up and running they will get their foot in the door.
Mr. Paine said the Ministry of Tourism has been helpful in generating traffic to the Bazaar from the hotels.
But he said the continued closure of the Royal Oasis Resort is working against the merchants.
“They (transport operators) perceive the place as not being busy or that it may not have been the experience they were looking for [for the tourists],” Mr. Paine said. “But I’m hopeful that something will happen to the hotel pretty soon.”
Meanwhile, merchants of the once thriving Bazaar have entered the new year with a great deal of uncertainty, claiming that their businesses are only limping along.
Like many areas in Grand Bahama, the merchants have been severely impacted by the downturn experienced after hurricanes Frances, Jeanne and Wilma, and the closure of the Royal Oasis Resort in September 2004.
Since that time, 30 shops in the Bazaar have closed and 50 remain open.
“As for the retail aspect in the Bazaar over the last 15 to 18 months, in essence-those shops which cater to the tourist trade [are] totally dead,” said Godfey Roberts, owner of Pop’s Pit Stop, which sells souvenirs.
“[Tourists] off the cruise ships, if we get one percent of the passengers, that’s plenty. So in essence at Christmas time, those stores that were catering to the people made a few dollars and that’s all they made for the year. As for the tourist-oriented businesses, it’s impossible, even ludicrous, to still be open.”
He believes that merchants still have a long wait before they see any relief from the present situation.
“If the [Royal Oasis] was sold today it would still take another 12 months to get it fully operational. We have nothing to look forward to,” Mr. Roberts said.
Some businesspeople believe that the closure of East Mall Drive, which runs between the two properties of the Royal Oasis Resort to accommodate a man-made beach, also resulted in a decline in sales.
Michelle Roberts of the Plaka Shop, a clothing and gift shop, said that in the store’s seven years of business, the last two years have been particularly rough.
“It’s just been very slow off and on,” she said.
“I thought things would have picked up for Christmas, but there is no change. So we’ve been suffering for a long time.”
Georgette Moxey, an employee at Happenings souvenir shop, is a bit more optimistic that things will turn around although she admits the Bazaar has had a very challenging time.
“The holiday season wasn’t that bad,” Ms. Moxey said. “Some buses brought some people from the hotels and they came down and spent-but still it’s very slow.”
Straw vendors in the Bazaar say they have also been feeling the brunt of the sluggish economy.
One owner of a stall, Sean Smith, said it has been a tough two years all around – financially and emotionally.
Mr. Smith said his wife died two years ago and he has to care for his two young children, which has been somewhat of a struggle since business is not exactly booming.
“The hotel’s not open and we’re trying to get the Bazaar Association and the Straw Market Association to bring more things to the Bazaar. Right now we’re moving slow,” Mr. Smith said.
“It’s so amazing that Nassau can get so much promotion, so much business – but we need to get more advertisement for the International Bazaar because all [the visitors from] the ships come here go to Port Lucaya-we don’t get anything.”
Another straw vendor, Beverley Rahming, said she has never in all her 32 years of business at the Bazaar experienced such tough times.
“I don’t [think] we can make the tourists buy but at least bring the tourists to the International Bazaar [and] let them decide if they’re going to shop [with] us,” Mrs. Rahming said.
She was reduced to tears because she said some days she only makes $3, but she said the situation may be worse for her one employee, who reportedly has five children to care for.
By: Courtnee Romer, The Bahama Journal
