The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

CABBAGE Beach Vendors Association president Monique Taylor on Friday said members of her association will not bow out or relent in their efforts to ensure that they remain on the Paradise Island beach.

Ms Taylor told The Tribune that attempts are being made to undermine her leadership of the association, with well-placed operatives working to coerce members “that opportunities can be found some place else”. She alleged Tourism officials have conducted a series of secret meetings in which association members are being offered inducements to operate elsewhere and, in some cases, threatened.

“We are not accepting it,” Ms Taylor said. “They need to know we are together out here at Cabbage Beach. We are one and we will stick together. The majority of members here are against all of those promises that they are offering behind closed doors.”

The Tribune understands that vendors claim they are being induced by offers to carry out their operations at other beaches around New Providence.

Meanwhile, vendors have reported that the process to renew and acquire licences to operate on Cabbage Beach has been re-worked and made more stringent - which is likely to limit the number of vendors able to work at the site. Vendors are reportedly now required to present written approval by Access Industries to operate at the property and a letter of recommendation from the Ministry of Tourism to receive a business licence to operate at Cabbage Beach

“It’s extremely hard now; everything they can do to us, they are doing,” Ms Taylor said. “I haven’t seen or spoken to Mr Wilchcombe in months. No contact - nothing. But I hear he is meeting with vendors. I hear he is promising them the world. That isn’t going to work because this is our livelihood. This beach is where we make the money we need.”

Currently there are more than 50 vendors operating legally at Cabbage Beach - those in line with the business licence unit, the Ministry of Tourism and Access Industries.

When contacted for comment on the allegations levelled against him and officials at the Ministry of Tourism, Obie Wilchcombe, the minister, said he is working only to ensure that vendors are respected, provided an opportunity to earn a living and collectively improve on the delivery of quality service.

“I would think we are on the same page,” the West End and Bimini MP contended. “The issue is not territorial. Everyone is in the same boat right now. We are together and together we must succeed.”

Earlier this week, vendors clashed with security personnel and police for two consecutive days. On Monday, vendors and taxicab drivers blocked traffic attempting to travel to Paradise Island via the Sidney Poitier Bridge after Access Industries, owners of the One&Only Ocean Club who are looking to develop their property, fenced off the western easement to the beach.

Protestors that day reportedly were punched, kicked and dragged away from the bridge by officers.

In response to that incident the following day, political factions lead by opposition leader Dr Hubert Minnis and Democratic National Alliance leader Branville McCartney and protestors marched over the the Sidney Poitier Bridge to Cabbage Beach and tore down the fence limiting access to the Paradise Island beach.

Mr Wilchcombe said he and Prime Minister Perry Christie worked late into the night on Monday to convince Access Industries to allow vendors temporary access to Cabbage Beach through their usual point of entry, hours after those vendors protested against the erection of a fence that blocked their entry.

A statement from the government on Tuesday morning explained that the controversy arose because Access Industries signed an agreement with Brookfield Asset Management, the owners of the Atlantis resort, that required Brookfield to close the existing beach path adjacent to the Riu resort. The statement added that Brookfield was supposed to relocate the vendors’ access point to the Brookfield-owned property on Garden Drive, off Paradise Island Drive.

Mr Wilchcombe stressed that Bahamians still can access Cabbage Beach, even though there are matters concerning the vendors that have to be worked out.