Pace of works, trade license difficulties frustrate vendors
One vendor asked whether “consideration or any thought was given to [persons] who already [were] at Crafts Alive, of the duration of time that we don’t have a job, don’t have an income…” She also asked whether anything would be done for these vendors since there were people there who now had no means of income but have children to send to send to school, rent to pay and 'things to do'.
Hon. Vanterpool said this was considered and his Ministry was concerned about it hence the reason for the project being done after the cruise ship season. He appreciated that vendors there did not only get business from the cruise ships but related that there were unavoidable inconveniences that occurred.
He noted there was about a 45-day delay and apologised for that, adding that he was also aware that even though vendors located at Crafts Alive weren’t required to pay on the lease or rent for this period, there was no way they could be adequately compensated for the loss of revenue being experienced. “We do understand and we’re moving feverishly to get you back in there as quickly as possible,” he said.
Another person asked whether persons operating at ‘Tent City’ without trade licences would be able to now acquire same since they know of someone who was turned down in their application for a trade licence. Hon. Vanterpool said any business that operates within the Virgin Islands must operate under a trade licence and expressed the awareness that there were persons currently operating without such licences. He added that the Ministry would not bury their heads in the sand like ostriches and not deal with it.
He encouraged persons to go to the Department of Trade and Consumer Affairs to try to get their trade licences coordinated and organised. He said the licences were handed out based on assessment and were not automatic. “If there are issues that we can help with to ensure that one is granted, we will be glad to do that.”
Concerns were also raised about vendors doing craft not currently located at ‘Tent City’ but having an interest in moving to the Crafts Alive Village. The Minister noted this can be done but added that it would come with limitations, “Anyone who wants to get in there who may have… local craft… they should give their application to [City Manager Ms Janice Brathwaite-Edwards] and let her over a period of time bring it forward and [we’ll] see what we can do,” he said, “we want to see the applications, see the products and so on that you’re talking about.”
The Minister also encouraged vendors to learn additional languages to be prepared for when tourists speaking languages such as Spanish start to come with the new planned initiative of reaching out to more European ‘cruise tourists’ and persons from places such as Curacao.
Another vendor, who hadn't raised any concerns during the meeting, felt that it was only fair for those persons at Tent City to have first preference in getting spaces at the new location since they thought that without Tent City they may very well have been no Crafts Alive Village.
Hon. Vanterpool indicated that the final number of allocations at the Crafts Alive Village is expected be around sixty-four.
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