Local craftsmen want a piece of Crafts Alive
Speaking to Virgin Islands News Online, local craftsman Algernon Auguiste aka Dillar has been in the crafting business for more than 10 years and it has been his main source of income over the past two years.
He currently runs his business in the parking lot opposite LIME flagship store in Road Town and said he would “love” to be a part of the revamped Crafts Alive Market.
Auguiste also believes more locally made products need to be showcased in the revamped market which will be a main tourist shopping centre. “I think everybody (vendors) deserves an opportunity to show people what they are capable of doing, but most of those doing vending is buying from away and selling. To say displaying what Tortola has and can produce, I don’t see it around … we have people who can do it but I don’t really see them.”
The Virgin Islander craftsman specializes in a variety of local crafts including the handcrafting of medallions, earrings, brooches, personal necklaces and also picture framing. He is also crafted in table top and bar counter refinishing.
“If I get a space, I see it can help me to develop and further expand, when people come they come and see the local things and the word spread through word of mouth.”
Another Virgin Islands artist Lutia Durant is a well-known artist who paints on oil and canvas while his daughter handcrafts earrings and chains.
According to Mr. Durant, he said if the area is going to be called Crafts Alive, there needs to be more local craft in it.
He said he has no problems with other products being displayed as he doesn’t want to discriminate against anyone but there needs to be a balance, and it can even be divided where there are international products and local products. He even suggested that if vendors were to buy, local crafted products from other Caribbean islands to resell, it would still look “local” rather than the amount of products that are being brought and sold from China.
“Most of the shops they have China made products, and all of them like that more or less … even if to make half and half, this half is international, this half is local. Persons who do local crafts, yes they can have an opportunity.”
While he is not pushing to have a space in Crafts Alive, he would like other craftsmen to be given a chance.
Entrepreneur Kismet Daniel has a talent for making local dolls, soaps, candles and earrings among a host of other products and is hoping that she can get an opportunity to be part of the Crafts Alive Market.
Daniel said a meeting was planned in Road Town which was postponed and she had planned to express her interest in having a booth when it do comes of.
As a Virgin Islander who makes her own products, Daniel said she feels “government need to look out for the indigenous and give them first priority because the vendors selling in Crafts Alive are not selling local products, most are what they buy from St. Marten and St. Thomas, when tourists come at Crafts Alive they should see things that are made in the BVI.”
Daniel said she is appealing for local vendors to be given a chance and said there are many like herself who make local products but do not have a place to display or sell them, with the revamped market being a perfect opportunity to showcase the Virgin Islands products.
At the same time, she questioned who are the persons from the Cruise ship pier who will be relocated to Crafts Alive. “… are they people who already have a job and using Crafts Alive for an additional income, are they the people who are naturalized and are on work permits? Some of those who have stalls in Crafts Alive had about four or five tents set up at the cruise ship pier, and some of them did not have a work permit but will still give them opportunity. We need to do things the right way and I think everyone should go through the right channels and abide by the laws of the land.”
Since the announcement in February by Minister for Communications and Works Hon. Mark Vanterpool of the cruise vendors relocation and revamping of Crafts Alive, there were mixed reactions with the main concerns from vendors currently at Crafts Alive that there will be competitive pricing, and traffic congestion.
The Crafts Alive Village currently consists of four buildings, 23 vending spaces and rest room facilities, however, the revamping of the area would see some five new buildings added, five additions to existing buildings, 39 new vendors’ spaces created, additional rest rooms, an amphitheatre with stage for cultural performances and an exhibition area for fishermen, who would be engaged in displaying how fishes and lobsters are caught among other traditional fishing methods.
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