Hon. Earl Deveaux made an extraordinary point on Issues of the Day with Jeff Lloyd today. He said that the government of the Bahamas is responsible for offering decent health care, infrastructure, a fair and efficient judiciary etc. The government of the Bahamas is under no obligation to build a straw market for straw vendors to operate their private businesses. He said the government made suggestions to the straw vensors to move them to a new location. They rejected that offer. He said they are free to stay where they are.

I agree with Mr. Deveaux 100%. He also said that less than 25% of the vendors are up-to-date on payment of their rent and license fees! So tell me, were these the same vendors who were in parliament square barking that they want their $30m facility and even een paying they rent?

My fellow Bahamians. I empathize with the plight of the straw vendors but they can't expect to use the taxpayers money in such an exorbitant amount, to support their private business entities. Minister Deveaux said that the government will use the monies allocated in the budget, to build a suitable market for the straw vendors.

How much is their rent anyways?

How much is their rent anyways?

$1 dollar a day.

The Straw vendors attitude and sense of entitlement is nothing new.

Expecting a fridge or stove at election time? Same attitude

Demanding a government for a "scholarship" for your kid or yourself? Same attitude.

Slacking off in a government service job? Same attitude.

Want ing healthcare/education but lying about to customs after a trip to Miami or killing any legitimate discussion of modest fair taxation? Same attitude.

$1 dollar a day.


The rent for a whole year is less than what most people in Nassau pay for an apartment per month?!

Man if I was the Prime Minister I would need bodygaurds and and sharpshooters to protect me because I would have gone to the market in front of the tourists and cussed them out for that!

They are entitled to NOTHING. Every other business person must find a place to do business, what makes these persons so special that the entire nation has to babysit them.

I dunno if I agree totally.

Governments build airports for private airlines. Usually because having an airports facilitates travel and travel encourages economic growth. The straw vendors are a public benefit to the Bahamas even though they are private business persons. One of the things that attracts tourists to the Bahamas is the souvenirs they buy from straw vendors. The straw vendors are as much an attraction to the Bahamas as the Bahamian landscape and the Bahamian culture.

Imagine if asian countries stopped providing facilities for the ricksha or imagine if Venice stopped providing facilities for the venetian long boats - both are a vital component of the attraction to these places. Even though the ricksha man is an independent contractor and so is the long boatsman.

I would build the facility and be happy that straw vendors are willing to pay the rent because they are promoting and maintaining the Bahamian culture. We owe them.

I dunno if I agree totally.
Governments build airports for private airlines. Usually because having an airports facilitates travel and travel encourages economic growth. The straw vendors are a public benefit to the Bahamas even though they are private business persons. One of the things that attracts tourists to the Bahamas is the souvenirs they buy from straw vendors. The straw vendors are as much an attraction to the Bahamas as the Bahamian landscape and the Bahamian culture.
Imagine if asian countries stopped providing facilities for the ricksha or imagine if Venice stopped providing facilities for the venetian long boats - both are a vital component of the attraction to these places. Even though the ricksha man is an independent contractor and so is the long boatsman.
I would build the facility and be happy that straw vendors are willing to pay the rent because they are promoting and maintaining the Bahamian culture. We owe them.


Good point....but in order to be happy with those who are willing to pay rent we actually need to keep those who do pay rent, and do away with the freeloaders. the freeloader are probably the nasty ones too. I mean if you are paying for something, you will definitely not treat it like the way they do.

I do not know if we "owe them" as they are benifitting from their stalls. They have a ridiculusly low rent and make pure profit selling Chinese goods. I also understand that most rent their stalls out to a third party so they are taking advantage of what has basicly been given to them. I will not even go into the filth that is generated by them with no regard as to how that reflects on ALL bahamians and how we are perceived.

I know. I'm not saying that they have no responsibility here. And maybe we don't necessarily owe them. But I don't think you can say that because they are private businesses that they are on their own. I think anytime you ask the government for something that along with it comes increased scrutiny and higher standards because you are a public investment and the government has a responsibility not to squander public funds.

So there should be more police, more inspectors, more audits - they can't just do as they please. If they don't pay their rents, then they are placed on probation or expelled from the facility. If they buy chinese goods instead of genuine Bahamian products then their rents should be adjusted to ensure that they earn the same rate of return as those that do use genuine Bahamian products.

This all can be worked out for the benefit of everyone involved. It just takes work and commitment.

I dunno if I agree totally.
Governments build airports for private airlines. Usually because having an airports facilitates travel and travel encourages economic growth. The straw vendors are a public benefit to the Bahamas even though they are private business persons. One of the things that attracts tourists to the Bahamas is the souvenirs they buy from straw vendors. The straw vendors are as much an attraction to the Bahamas as the Bahamian landscape and the Bahamian culture.
Imagine if asian countries stopped providing facilities for the ricksha or imagine if Venice stopped providing facilities for the venetian long boats - both are a vital component of the attraction to these places. Even though the ricksha man is an independent contractor and so is the long boatsman.
I would build the facility and be happy that straw vendors are willing to pay the rent because they are promoting and maintaining the Bahamian culture. We owe them.


Surely you jest.

Fake Louis Vuittons can be found on 5th ave NY on the side of the street in droves! Have you travelled to Jamaica lately? That'll give you some perspective. The operative word in straw market is "straw". It alludes to that which is indigenous and natural to the Bahamas. There is very little of that to be found in the market.

I recently visited the market with friends from out-of-town who were looking for souvenirs to take back home. I almost fall out when I went to a stall and the woman could hardly speak English! Her native language was creole. I understand that there are many others. She had lots of t-shirts, coconut shape bags made in China, shell wind chimes made in Taiwan, and a plethora of other items NOT indigenous to the Bahamas. We purchased a bag and asked her to put my niece's name on it. She said she can't because she "don do dah!" I was livid! Not because she was not a Bahamian, but because she couldn't even sew on a name on a straw bag and operates a stall in an artisan market! I was also concerned at the fact that this person probably has no concern for wha tis indigenous to the Bahamas and making it available to our visitors. She will sell whatever sells. No matter where it's made.

As for your point with regard to the government's obligation in the building of a straw market. I agree, and Dr. Deveaux stated, that the government's only interest in providing a decent market is that it is a part of our overall tourism product. On the other hand, the sense of entitlement exhibited by the vendors is ridiculous, considering the fact that theirs is a private business, 75% of them pay no rent or license fees, and they keep the place like a hog pen.

Make them get rid of all the non Bahamian items .. if it isnt made in the Bahamas, it should not be there .. if they want to sell non Bahamian items, they can go start a business somewhere else. The Straw market is there for the tourist, to showcase the Bahamas workmanship .. not MIC or MIA goods.

Make them get rid of all the non Bahamian items .. if it isnt made in the Bahamas, it should not be there .. if they want to sell non Bahamian items, they can go start a business somewhere else. The Straw market is there for the tourist, to showcase the Bahamas workmanship .. not MIC or MIA goods.


Rory and I agree.

If you want a straw market, then you make them give you a straw market. They don't have any standards or accountability because nobody's demanding it. The minute they ask you for something - you make them give you something in return. If they are willing to argue that they are a vital component of Bahamian culture then they better promote Bahamian products instead of black market items.

The straw vendors are as much an attraction to the Bahamas...


So is the financial services industry, but no one would consider asking the government to build offices for the private banks and give them free rent.

So is the second home/luxury home market. But no one would consider asking the government to build offices for the developers or real estate agents and give them free rent.

So is the financial services industry, but no one would consider asking the government to build offices for the private banks and give them free rent.
So is the second home/luxury home market. But no one would consider asking the government to build offices for the developers or real estate agents and give them free rent.


Here is what I said - do not misrepresent what I said:

The straw vendors are as much an attraction to the Bahamas as the Bahamian landscape and the Bahamian culture.


Do you honestly believe that banking in the Bahamas or second homes in the Bahamas are a part of the Bahamas as is the culture and lanscape??

C'mon, lets not be silly here.