The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FRUSTRATED store owners at Port Lucaya Marketplace claim they are being prevented from entering the premises to get access to their stores, even though power and water have already been restored there.

Only once have they had access to their businesses since Hurricane Dorian, when insurance adjusters were on property to conduct assessments. However, they claim, management hasn't allowed them back on the premises since.

Port Lucaya Marketplace, which had some damage from Hurricane Dorian, has about 60 or more stores, including restaurants, bars, souvenir stores, jewellery stores, and dry goods stores, as well as two straw markets.

The store owners are anxious to get in, clean up, and open for business.

"I understand that some of the metal roof was blown off, and they are waiting on the adjusters," said one store owner. "We are frustrated about it (the wait) but there is nothing we can about it because there is an insurance claim."

Other concerned stores owner told The Tribune that the damage at Port Lucaya did not appear to be extensive.

A disgruntled storeowner complained that the delay in opening Port Lucaya Marketplace is affecting their business and their workers who are eager to get back to work and earn an income.

"The marketplace had power restored soon after the storm; and they are not opened yet. We have bills to pay, we have credit terms, we have staff, and we have rent to pay for our rental space," said the individual who asked not to be named for fear of victimisation.

"We cannot get into our spaces to see if everything is okay. We were allowed in one time so the adjusters could see inside the space, but after that, we have not been allowed back."

According to the owner, some of their workers who lost their possessions in East End and Arden Forest want to return to work.

"We have persons who lost their houses and are anxious to get back working to make money," said the concerned store owner.

When the marketplace was owned by Grand Bahama Port Authority Ltd, the store owner said that they were allowed access to their businesses after previous storms while assessments were being conducted.

"The former owners (GBPA) understood how important it was for businesses to reopen to make money," the business owner said.

Another concerned shop owner criticised PLM officials for the lack of communication and the "unkind" attitude of management.

"They have a rotten attitude in how they handle people - they need Bahama host training," said an upset merchant, who also claimed they are being kept in the dark about the situation at the marketplace.

"We want to know when we can get back in our stores - if it will take a couple months or weeks so we can decide whether to relocate our businesses. But they don't tell us what's going on, and they are handling us like crap like we don't matter. Under the former owners, the Port Authority, it was different; they allowed us access to our stores at a reasonable time."

Another store owner said that getting in to clean up is critical.

"You want to get in there to clean it up and avoid any mould issue," the owner said. "We basically were only allowed to go in initially, and we sat for four-and-a half hours waiting on the adjusters to come, and we can't go back in.

"They have been extremely uncommunicative and unresponsive to our questions or providing information of when they will open up. We feel there is an underlying issue."

Management had initially sent out an email to store owners, they said, explaining only that they had challenges and obstacles, and that the store owners were not allowed on the premises.

"When we asked them for clarity of those challenges and obstacles they did not respond. It is not so bad that they can't reopen it. It is pretty frustrating that PLM does not want people back in (their stores). We need to get small business up and running because people need to get back to work," one of the store owners said. "We know not much visitors are coming to the island, but there are locals who we cater to as well. Local restaurants at PL can open for business, instead they are losing product."

Attempts to reach an official at PLM was unsuccessful up to press time.