The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

THE privatisation of Festival Place is expected to be completed by next month, according to an internal memo being circulated among vendors and officials at the cruise terminal.

Among the litany of topics being addressed and finalised in the document are the final approvals for lease agreements, the appointment of a director for the terminal and efforts to improve the overall look of the property.

According to the communication obtained by The Tribune, once privatisation is completed, vendors will be expected to agree to new two-year contracts, which will have to be signed prior to them being readmitted to the terminal building.

Further to that, all new agreements will be based around a new lease schedule, which is reportedly still being formulated by management.

According to the memo - which was written and circulated by Yvette Price, President of the Festival Place Tenant Association - longstanding Tourism officer Monique Hepburn will serve as the new Director of Festival Place

The communication did not name the new management firm responsible for Festival Place.

However, it did note the new firm has no “intentions” to hurt or harm any of the vendors.

It added: “They are looking forward to us working together in the best interest of all of us.”

Vendors are presently operating on the outside of the facility while it undergoes renovation.

According to the communication, there were “unforeseen circumstances” involving a worker installing the facility’s new air condition unit.

The setback was blamed for the delay in tenants returning to the inside of the facility.

On the topic, the memo indicated the Ministry of Tourism is providing liability insurance in the interim, but will cease to do so once tenants are allowed back inside.

“We told them that (the insurance) was included in our rent before, and that our payment included it, and we asked them to do the same again,” the memo explained.

Another factor addressed in the communication was the work being done to “spruce up” booths.

“It was suggested that perhaps, we can get one person to paint so that we could negotiate a group price… reduced rate,” the communication read.

According to the memo, vendors will be mandated to ensure all existing products not on old contracts and all new products are requested in writing.

Furthermore, the products must be approved before being posted.

The memo continued: “As far as new products, (vendors must) ensure that they are Bahamian made.”

“(Management) would like to visit your factories or ask that you provide photos of the items being made in your factory.

“We were also encouraged to use the Bahamian flag colours as much as possible.”

With respect to food being sold at the terminal, the memo implored tenants to use as much local fruits and Bahamian food as possible.

Dilly, soursop, mango and coconut were listed as options.

As for sanitation, the memo added: “Management said that the food and beverage area is not as sanitary as it should be. For those persons who use straw, we were encouraged to create solutions for the lack of availability of straw, and to negotiate group discounts at places where artisans buy supplies from.”

“Management has mentioned a seminar with the Port for tenants in October. More information will be given as soon as this is available,” it furthered.

The memo continued: “We went through the three page memo that was sent to Tenants recently so some of this will be a repeat.”

“ID’s must be visible at all times.

“ID classes will now be held every Wednesday, instead of once a month.

“All persons holding an ID is going to be required to take the ID class again, effective immediately, for 2019 ID’s because of additional information..... every Wednesday morning at 8am.

“Vetting will take two weeks before ID’s are approved.

“Business licences must be displayed at all times.

“(The new management unit is) working on directional signage and signs with operational hours.”

In its address of the terminals operational hours, the memo further indicated that the time would be up for discussion, with determination having to be made in the early weeks of September.

“If 8am is not a suitable opening time, we have to come up with a suitable time that will be displayed on these signs. Our deadline to inform them of what we want our operational hours to be advertised is this coming Friday, 7, September 2018.”

This comes as a Bahamian investor group continues it push to make its “re-imagination” of Nassau’s cruise port and downtown a reality.

In a Tribune Business report last week, Gerald Strachan, founder, president and chief executive of Culture Village (Bahamas), in a statement said his group’s proposal for reviving both Prince George Wharf and the surrounding Downtown area would focus on development consistent with this country’s heritage.

His comments came in response to reports that the government plan to put Prince George Wharf’s management out to bid through a public tendering process might result in any request for proposal (RFP) seeking to copy Culture Village (Bahamas) ideas by mandating that all offers have a similar “Bahamianisation” flavour.

There has been no firm indication by the government publicly on whether it has selected a management company to date.

Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar could not be reached for comment up to press time.

The Tribune also reached out to Ms Price but she did not return calls for comment.