The Tribune

By FAY SIMMONS

Tribune Business Writer

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

Food stores and gas stations yesterday blamed supplier woes for ice shortages that impacted New Providence amid searing heat over the weekend.

Mr Maury, manager of Phoenix Supermarkets, told Tribune Business his store remains without ice due to “challenges” with supply. “The ice houses are having challenges. The only people I see with ice now is some of the gas stations and Super Value,” he added.

“The machines at Chilly Willy and the machines at Polar Ice, they were having challenges. The last time we called them they said the machines down.” But the gas stations, I see a lot of gas stations have ice. Solomons, Super Value, I see Kenneths have ice. Plenty places have ice.”

Mr Maury said he has experienced difficulties obtaining one-gallon bottles from suppliers as well due to a shortage in that commodity. He added: “Plenty people coming for ice, and then the problem is we can’t keep up with the water. The gallon water either, they cant keep up with.”

“Aquapure doesn’t have any bottles, [Chelsea’s] Choice doesn’t have any bottles, Echo doesn’t have any bottles. The gallon bottles, they don’t have none. They can keep up with the water but they can’t keep up with the bottles.”

Rodney, a manager at Rubis on Prince Charles Drive, also confirmed the location was out of ice due to supply shortages. He added that he hopes suppliers can get the issue ‘corrected’ as customers are increasingly inquiring about the item.

He said: “We get [ice] from Chilly Willy and they have a problem with their machines [for] a lil’ while now. Maybe about two to three weeks. People are calling and coming; no ice, no ice. They have to try to get that corrected.”

Debra Symonette, president and chief financial officer at Super Value, said that although they had some “problems” obtaining ice recently the suppliers have fixed their machines and they now have the product back in stock.

She said: “We did have some problems before but everything should be back to normal. I know the suppliers said their machines are back up. They told us their machines are back up so we should be able to get ice now.”

Mr Rolle, manager at a local bar, said there was no ice over the weekend because he did not receive his regular shipment. He added that he is unaware of any issues, but customers have been complaining about difficulties obtaining ice recently.

He said: “We’ve been completely out all weekend. Some people have been coming in looking for ice for their drinks but we don’t have it. I don’t know what’s going on, but I do know that we usually get ice from Chilly Willy and they haven’t come. But people have been saying they haven’t been able to find ice in a lot of places.”

Attempts were made to contact both Chilly Willy and Polar Ice for comment, but Tribune Business was unable to reach them up to press time.