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“Worst Christmas of all!”- Local businesses report
Almost everyone spoke of “the down turn of the economy following the global recession” and “things will get better in the Virgin Islands.”
At this time of year it is customary that the streets of the main shopping centres of Tortola are usually filled with persons hustling and bustling to do their Christmas shopping. Some popular supermarkets are usually filled to capacity with persons jostling between the isles. Many unemployed look forward to seasonal jobs as more hands are required to serve. This year the picture was not the same and, according to one prominent businessman who asked not to be named, “This was one of the worse years for business in Tortola.” His was a sentiment that was echoed by several others. Some went on record, others declined to while some made the statement in passing.
According to a businessman, who owns and operates a string of businesses, the season for him started off fairly well in October 2012. He said due to the nature of how he has been doing business over the years, he has been following a trend of seasonal calendar for the year and this starts off in October. “Things started off fairly well,” he said. “However, coming down to Christmas I thought it would have been at least a little better than it is now but that’s not the case, people are being very conservative with their spending and you can well understand this.”
“What is going on here is a spin-off of what is going on around the world because people understand the times, it is indeed rough out there and out here,” said the prominent businessman. He was, however, optimistic that the economy will improve in 2013. “But not to say it would be this big marginal change from what it is now, but things will get better.”
Mr. Tarabay, a proprietor of Royal Shop- a business that has been in the family since 1975, commented “we have seen better days in terms of business, this year is the worst of all,” said the long serving businessman. While he shares the opinion that the great global recession has take its fair share on the economics of the Virgin Islands, he believed too that sales were mainly affected because of the days the Christmas holidays fall this year 2012. He explained that he has observed a pattern where if Christmas day falls anytime between Wednesday and Saturday, business is usually on the upward thrust. “What you find happening is that when on or just before the end of the week sales would be bright because most people stay at home and shop.” He further explained that if the holiday fell shortly after the weekend most persons would travel overseas to do their shopping.
“BVI economy on the whole though was at its worse this year in a long time, so we didn’t expect much this year compared to previous Decembers gone by…But at the end of the day everybody got what they deserve given the circumstances,” Mr. Tarabay told this news site.
Across at the One Mart store, things appeared a little brighter than other areas. Yet it was a far cry from previous Christmas experiences. Speaking on the platform of a businessman Mr. Mark H. Vanterpool said Christmas shopping took a little while to kick in. “But Christmas will always be Christmas so over the past week people would have been shopping and buying their little goodies for Christmas and so on.”
Mr. Vanterpool also expressed the view that around this time of year lots of families come home. “So as time count down and people arrive, friends come too and they all get excited and start shopping.”
At One Mart, Mr. Vanterpool said, the support has been good over the last week. “Of course our customers have always been loyal to us, so we believe that it is a happy Christmas for most people,” he confidently said. On the other hand he felt that it has been difficult for some people and One Mart had instituted a little initiative to assist some persons.
Suffice to say “People have been a little more cautious in terms of spending because they do not know what to expect next year,” the One Mart Owner said.
Putting on his political cap, Hon. Vanterpool- the Minister for Communications and Works- said Government has a number of initiatives on the table that has the potential of improving living standards in the Virgin Islands.
“From what we have seen tourism is looking up, speaking from the government’s end, we have some major projects for the coming year, including the development in the health sector, the hospital completion, the airport, on the education side the remodeling of the school and these thing that would definitely boost the standard of living and the economy as well,” Hon. Vanterpool noted.
“Hopefully 2013 would be a better year and they would see things getting better in terms of their pockets,” he concluded.
Ms. Livenston said she was saddened by the state of things presently. “I don’t have much to say but I must tell you that this, what you are seeing, is not usual of a Christmas season, not at all things drastically change and I don’t know what can be done to undo the wrongs and let life be bright again in Tortola. Price of living gone up crazily and this is madness here.”
Another resident, Janet Justinbang, said that as at the time of this interview, Sunday December 23, 2012 she had not seen or felt the spirit of Christmas.
“Is like is a commercial thing, is like just another day for quite a number of people, Tortola is a dead, dead place for this Christmas season.”
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30 Responses to ““Worst Christmas of all!”- Local businesses report”
"If you don't like something, change it.
If you can't change it, change your attitude.
Don't complain."
- Wise words to live by.
Thank God for his people here who pray continuously and earnestly. In all this one thing we are sure of God is watching over us and will not give us more than we can bear but will make a way of escape. Thank you Jesus
so they want to keep these old things from 1990 in a trailer, bring them out every christmas, sell them for more and more and expect people to just put up with this $h!t? we have options, online, pr, stt all over. if you want our money you need to come better. find out what the people want. not just call a tent sale with old $h!t and just expect millions. i support local when I can but can't afford that foolish $h!t.
KMart
cause you less
Office max
Home depot
Maryann
Rainbow
you name them onle here them fools charging us SO much to shope here greed is what have the not making any money fools let them stay there
and other stores
Ocean Freight
Bill of Lading Fee
Bunker Surcharge
Low Sulphur Fuel Surcharge
Peak Season Surcharge
BVI Surcharge
Insurance.
Shipping from Miami to St. Thomas they only pay Ocean Freight, but the BVI is considered outside of the US.
so we are the ones who are feeling it and therefore have to pass it on to the Consumers. Can you imagine your Invoice Total is $1500.00 and you have to pay tropical $890.00 . We have been begging for help with Tropical but no one is hearing our plea. Have a wonderful Christmas.
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