Hilaire defends compensation structure for displaced vendors

Deputy Prime Minister and Tourism Minister Dr Ernest Hilaire says displaced vendors affected by the Castries Vendors Arcade redevelopment deserve support, but compensation should not be given equally to everyone, especially to those who often did not pay their rent.

Hilaire made these comments during Tuesday’s pre-Cabinet press briefing. The debate continues over moving vendors from the arcade, which is part of the larger cruise port redevelopment project led by the Government of Saint Lucia and Global Ports Holding.

The demolition and redevelopment of the Vendors Arcade near the Castries waterfront has forced more than 100 vendors to leave. Many of them rely on cruise tourism sales. The situation has caused public concern after vendors complained about short notice to leave, poor relocation plans and unclear compensation during the transition.

Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre previously announced that affected vendors would receive compensation for their temporary loss of income, a move welcomed by the Saint Lucia Vendors Association and its president, Ras Ipa.

However, Hilaire said any support package should be reviewed carefully and set up fairly.

“I support fully the Prime Minister’s announcement that vendors will get assistance,” Hilaire said. “But there has to be a report on who owes, who does not owe, what the losses are and who requires what support.”

The minister emphasised that responsibility for managing the Vendors Arcade lies primarily with the Castries Constituency Council (CCC) as landlord, while GPH serves as the project developer. He noted that the Ministry of Tourism’s interest centred mainly on the arcade’s role within the tourism product.

According to Hilaire, vendors had long been aware that relocation would eventually become necessary once redevelopment works commenced.

“Nobody can say they did not know there would be redevelopment of the Vendors Arcade and that there would have to be movement,” he said.

He admitted there are concerns about when vendors were told to move, but said the bigger issue is finding a balance between being fair and holding people accountable, especially when it comes to unpaid rent owed to the CCC.

The minister said that in the past, the government forgave debts owed by vendors at the arcade. However, some vendors fell behind on payments again after that help.

“Do you treat them the same way that you treat some people who were dutiful, who paid every month and never benefited from the write-off?” he questioned. “I don’t think that is fair.”

Hilaire argued that vendors who consistently honoured their rental obligations should not receive the same treatment as those who repeatedly defaulted.

“This is a Labour Party government, and we want to support the vendors,” he said. “But at the same time, you cannot create a culture where people abuse the system time and time again.”

The minister said the monthly rent at the facility is about EC$155. He also recognised that vendors find it hard to pay a fixed monthly amount when tourism is slow.

Hilaire offered his own idea: a different rent system that depends on when cruise ships arrive.

“What I would do is on the days there is a cruise ship, you pay,” he explained. “If there’s no cruise ship, you don’t pay anything.”

With this system, vendors would pay a daily fee only when ships are in port, rather than a fixed monthly rent during slow periods.

“If there are three months where there’s a ship every day and vendors pay $15 each day, government would collect more than the annual rent,” he argued.

Hilaire said this model could give vendors more flexibility while still making sure rent is collected and rules are followed.

These comments come as vendors worry that many businesses may struggle to survive the months-long redevelopment. Vendors Association President Peter Ras Ipa Isaac recently asked that all displaced vendors receive compensation, regardless of what they owe, and called for a “clean slate” when the new facility opens.

Only 44 temporary booths are expected to be available in the first phase of relocation, leaving many vendors unsure how they will keep their businesses going in the meantime.

The article Hilaire defends compensation structure for displaced vendors is from St. Lucia Times.