Vendors urged to make good use of ‘new look’ market
Among those present for the re-launch were Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith, Deputy Premier and Minister for Labour and Natural Resources Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering (R7) and Minister for Communications and Works Honourable Mark H. Vanterpool (R4).
In his brief remarks, Premier Smith said “The Government has had its focus on the improvement of the economy of the British Virgin Islands from the time we got elected. One of the things we had to do to improve the economy was to work to promote the small and medium size businesses…What we did to make this happen was to re-energise the Department of Trade…”
He also said that they had established the Small Business Bureau to assist small businesses as they moved to reach a stage where they could stand on their own feet. “And this support for small business also extends to businesses in the agriculture industry.”
It was highlighted that the Business of the Month initiative saw the first business to have been recognised for such an honour being agriculture in nature.
Working towards an improved Road Town
Hon Vanterpool, in whose district the market falls, urged all and sundry to give their fullest support to assist in the process of making the city of Road Town look more beautiful, taste more beautiful and smell more beautiful. “So work with us as we do so and we would be able to give you the opportunity to grow your business here in the city of Road Town.”
He commended City Manager Ms Janice Braithwaite and the workers of the various Departments of the Ministry of Communications and Works as he said Government is moving to develop the city formally.
Premier Smith also said, “Every small step in the right direction is a great step in the right direction for the territory of the Virgin Islands and every little step like this, that we see, we are proud of those who make it happen so that we can build on it. Sometimes we want to do the grand things and the great things but those things start at the very small stage and hopefully over time we can pay attention to them and they will grow…”
Hon Pickering spoke of a number of initiatives that are currently in the basket as work-in-progress that will soon see marked improvement in the agriculture industry. He too was high in praise of the Department of Trade and Consumer Affairs for the initiative of beautifying the market area and making it a more pleasing one with much organisation.
Farmers concerns
Amid all the encouraging words, however, some farmers are still concerned that many vendors will have imported produce and passing it off as “local”. This they believe could cast a “bad name” on all the vendors.
“What you have happening is that imported food spoils very fast and I am tired of hearing customers telling me that the stuff they buy spoiling fast and guess what they saying? Them local food, they not saying the imported food they saying them locals and that is casting a bad spell on our stuff because it’s the imported things they purchasing and being disappointed,” a farmer had told this news site.
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14 Responses to “Vendors urged to make good use of ‘new look’ market”
M...ene is still across from craft-alive.... Sh..azz now took a new extra spot outside craft-alive.... A..ku and a donovan man outside Bolo's.... Ne..y (the coconut guy) and the lady with the van still under the tree by Oneal's gas station and the lady is still down by Richardson rigging.....So who fooling who???
others should go to the market as well. No one is above the law and some get special treatment.