Erington Watkins comments on the letter written by Rev. Esther Thompson, President of the Straw Business Persons Society.
After looking at the name of the author of the letter, I had to wonder if this was a new group or just a change of name from the old, moniker of the Straw Vendors Association, if it is the same, then why the change? Is it to enhance some kind of special status? The answer to the Rev’s question in paragraph two of the article is, a seasoned or unseasoned minister of the government, any government not only can, but must prohibit the sale of counterfeit goods which is an illegal product, from any entity that falls under his portfolio.
It is true that the straw vendors carry a variety of products from China, Taiwan and other places most of which would look far better in a garbage bin than on a vendor’s stall. You said that the late Diana Thompson cleared the way to sell products other than Bahamian made products. Rev Esther Thompson, let me say that you should have, at all cost, avoided mentioning that facet in the industry’s history. But, you were not satisfied with ending that segment there, you had to dramatize the occasion of such folly, by reminding the media that Diana Thompson was a straw legend and that the government of the day was responsible for the introduction of foreign and illegal products to the detriment of Bahamian-made goods in our straw markets.
The late Diana Thompson was a legendary straw vendor, but not a straw legend. The Bahamian legends in the straw industry are Bertha Brown, Ivy Simms, a few in Red Bay Andros, Mrs Pratt in 0’Neils, Long Island, the late Avis Cartwright of the Berries, Long Island, and indeed too many that space does not allow to be listed here.
When the PLP government, in its indiscriminate use, abuse, and misuse of power, like in so many other instances, during that era, allowed the straw vendors to depart from the standing regulations of their predecessors of being able to sell any and all types of foreign products in a Bahamian entity, whose only purpose for being in that enterprise was to sell Bahamian products to tourists visiting these shores.
The Rev is lamenting the fact that they are being called ingrates, of course, in my opinion you all are less than ingrates. A segment of our society who can afford asues of throwing up to $400 per day per hand, operate a money changing business in the straw market at a higher rate of exchange than the commercial banks, while engaging in the illegal trade of selling counterfeit goods, and hiring illegal migrants.
Who, when a disastrous fire destroyed their venue for business some years ago, collected untold hundreds of thousands of dollars of our (people’s) money for aid, that most, if not all, really did not need, and when a number of them got caught in a foreign country engaging in illegal activities, the government of this country went way beyond the call of their duties in providing legal assistance to them, which invited a lot of criticism that they, government, could have done without.
But when the same government puts in place rules and regulations for an entity that costs this nation some eleven million plus dollars, you, a so-called woman of God, is making demands and dictating your terms to the elected government of this country to the extent that, if your terms are not met, starting “a war”?
Just how ungrateful and low can some of us get?
As president of these people, you, my dear reverend, should be assisting the government in:
- Keeping illegal migrants out of the venue instead of condoning the illegal hiring of them
- Ensure that your members stop selling illegal counterfeit goods instead of defying the authorities and supporting the illegal trade and
- See that the indiscriminate disposal of left over food and food containers by vendors is discontinued in order to decrease the number of unwanted inhabitants, (rats) in the market.
In days gone by it was a pleasure to see the late Bertha Brown in places like London and New York displaying Bahamian straw work. Not only were the items labelled as Bahamian made, but the producers name, and the Island from which they came. The representatives from areas like Long Island and Andros are partly to blame for not pushing to eradicate the presence of foreign items in our straw market.
The teaching of inmates males and females at HM Resort (Fox Hill Prison) can be an asset to this industry. Whilst at BAIC and the prisons, we started such a programme and it was successful. Miss Donnalee Bowe of BAIC is quite familiar with it. It is time that we as a people must stop looking at everything foreign, as superior and expecting the Government to support our venture into criminal activities.
My dear Reverend, crime in this country is like a run-a-way train, instead of condoning it you, as a woman of God, should be in the vanguard of those trying to reduce or eradicating it completely.
Errington W I Watkins
Nassau, Bahamas
December 4, 2010.
