By Erica James-King, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
TO DATE, the St. James Parish Council has collected just over $300,000 of the $1.3 million in market fee arrears owed by the over two hundred vendors at the Harbour Street Craft Market in Montego Bay, under a new arrangement hammered out between that public agency and craft traders.
However, even in the face of this new arrangement, Clement Bennett, manager for the facility, feels the pace by the vendors in settling their outstanding accounts is much too slow. Under the new agreement, vendors are being allowed to occupy their shops on the condition that they pay their current rental of $1,300 per month in addition to making payments towards their arrears.
"They are permitted to keep their shops in the craft market, once they pay what they can afford on their arrears," Mr. Bennett told The Gleaner. "The payment on their arrears can be daily, weekly or monthly but they each have to come into the office and discuss the payment schedule with me."
Insisting that the Council has no intention of writing off the debts, Mr. Bennett argued, "To date, not many of them have come in to make arrangements to pay the arrears, and I think they need to act more urgently in settling their accounts. We understand that business is bleak for them, but they need to honour their agreement."
This latest development comes on the heels of a move by the Council during the first week of May, to close down some 40 of the 254 shops of craft traders at the Harbour Street facility. Some traders are up to eight months behind in their payment of monthly rental fees.
HONOURING DEBTS
Stressing the importance of vendors honouring their debts with the St. James Parish Council, the manager of the Harbour Street facility explains that the low revenue being generated from the fees at the market has affected the ability of the Council to pay its utility bills for the market.
Two weeks ago, the water supply at the market was disconnected, as a result of a $628,000 water bill owed to the National Water Commission (NWC) by the Parish Council. The water was reconnected late last week, after the Council made a payment of $200,000. "We have reached an agreement with the NWC that the Council will pay $50,000 every fortnight, until the arrears is cleared up," said Mr. Bennett.
In the meantime, craft traders at Harbour Street Market are fuming that they have been unable to pay their bills and make a decent living; because they are not receiving their share of the tourist pie.
"We are just not getting the tourists, as the tour buses are by-passing us. Some craft traders have closed their shops and are seeking other means of employment because they cannot earn a living by selling craft," Melody Haughton, President of the Harbour Street Craft Vendors Association complained to The Gleaner. "It seems like only the Inbond Merchants are benefiting from the cruise ships."
Another vendor, Viola Parchment, who has traded her wares at the Harbour Street facility for 23 years, echoed similar sentiments.
"I owe the Parish Council for six months of rent, because I just cannot get any business from the tourists. If is not the local people we would stave for a living," lamented Ms. Parchment. "The authorities need to do more to ensure that the craft shops benefit just as much as the Inbond merchants."
Meanwhile, a meeting scheduled for yesterday to discuss the grouses of craft vendors was aborted because major players in the tourist industry including Inbond merchants, hoteliers and members of the Montego Bay Cruise Ship Council did not show up for the discussions.
