The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

WITH a major cruise line set to return to The Bahamas this June, some straw vendors say they feel hopeful the Straw Market will be able to finally resume operations by this summer.

Straw Vendors Advancement Association president Celestine Eneas told The Tribune yesterday it’s a matter vendors are anxiously waiting to hear from officials about since this month marks a year since the market was ordered closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With no steady income for over a year, Ms Eneas said workers have been left struggling to make ends meet and are now anxious to get back to work.

“The Straw Market Authority has not reached out to us since early April of last year,” she said.

“I am hopeful they will soon say something to us because we need to know something. We are struggling and after hearing such good news from Royal Caribbean because that means you have people staying over and then go on the ship.

“So, that’s good news for the locals so the market needs to open. People have been out of a job for one year. I have people calling every day saying when is the market going to open? Tourists on Bay Street asking for the market to be open but there’s no opening.

“Bay Street is on a standstill and you’re not going to see anything happen on Bay Street until the market opens. The market is the life of the party. Tourists want to see the market and so all of the tourists who are coming right now, they are very disappointed that when they come, the market isn’t open.”

Last week, Royal Caribbean International announced its plans to set sail this June with cruise packages for The Bahamas and Mexico, marking the company’s return to the Caribbean since the COVID-19 pandemic halted the industry last year.

The global cruise line will set sail from its new homeport in Nassau as a part of its summer package consisting of seven-night cruises on board Adventure of the Seas.

Yesterday, Ms Eneas described the move as a “good news,” saying it will help visitors return to Bahamian shores and revive the country’s ailing tourism economy.

However, there are some vendors who are concerned that RCI’s decision on making Nassau its newest homeport will not be as beneficial to operators, saying visitors might not want to frequent the market as they will be to occupied with preparing for their cruise trip.

Asked about her thoughts on the matter, Ms Eneas did not share the same concern yesterday.

She said: “Anytime you have a cruise ship is embarking from your port, that means your island is getting extra (tourists). It’s not like they’re coming for one or two hour and then coming to go. People are coming to the hotels and they’re waiting until the cruise ship comes so that they can go and board the ship.”

RCI has said it is taking a “measured and safe return to cruising the world once again” and will only accept bookings from adult guests who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and those under the age of 18 with negative test results.

In an effort to better assist the country’s economic recovery for COVID-19, officials have also called tourism industry workers to be prioritised for COVID-19 vaccinations. The Bahamas began its national vaccination campaign last week.

Asked if vendors are willing to take the vaccine, Ms Eneas said she could not speak for everyone, but noted she has already received her first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.

She also encouraged other vendors to do the same.

“I already got my first dose and I’m waiting on my second dose because knowing that you have to interact with tourists, that’s the way to go,” she told this newspaper. “The cruise is saying you cannot come on the ship unless you’re vaccinated so that speaks volumes. They’re not going to want to come a country that is not vaccinated so we need to get with it.”

Last month, Works Minister Desmond Bannister – who also has responsibility for the Straw Market Authority — suggested there could be new health and safety protocols implemented at the downtown facility when it re-opens to safeguard vendors and visitors from contracting COVID-19.

However, Ms Eneas said vendors want to be consulted in advance on potential new entry guidelines before any final decisions are made.