A persistent flooding issue at the newly rebuilt Fairchild Street Market is threatening not only sales but the health of a business owner, she has told Barbados TODAY.
Nine months after opening her refurbished kiosk, Shellon Kishna said she continues to grapple with recurring flooding and an accompanying stench, leading to a considerable drop in sales and health concerns.
Despite the challenges faced by Kishna, officials were optimistic about the market’s success, citing ongoing public support and future developments.
Kishna, who had been operating in the market for almost eight years, moved to the new kiosk last year. She recalled experiencing a similar problem at that time, which was supposedly fixed. But, last week, the issue resurfaced.
When Barbados TODAY visited her on Thursday morning, she had just arrived and had already started sweeping the foul-smelling water out of her kiosk. She said this had again become a daily routine whenever she started work, adding that she was confident she was not the only stall owner affected, though others were hesitant to speak up.
“Last year I was getting this problem where the [dirty water] was backing up in the shop…. They have a hole in the shop where the water… every time the people turn on the pipe outside… that would back up and come up in here.”
Despite authorities reportedly addressing the issue last week, the problem seems to persist, specifically affecting the market’s D-Block which includes Kishna’s D-05 kiosk. Barbados TODAY has learned that the flooding issue is isolated to this area.
Expressing frustration, she said the problem has significantly limited customer traffic to her kiosk. She emphasised the financial strain this has caused, especially as she has a daughter to support.
“I was part of the first bunch to move in,” Kishna said. “I used to sell food but I can’t do that now because I suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, so I just sell drinks . . . . People don’t really want to come because of the stench and if they do, they go far out [to avoid the water and the smell]. I am not really getting any sales because things are slow and now this makes it worse.
“I have a little seven-year-old girl child going school. If I can’t sell, well at least I got to get some compensation if the shop has to shut till they rectify it. I have been doing this for eight years.”
In response to the situation, Joy-Ann Haigh, CEO at Haigh Communications, a communications consultant with the Barbados Tourism Investment Inc. (BTII), said measures are being taken to address Kishna’s concerns. The Market Division is set to mobilise a team to clean the lines of grey water (water that has already been used domestically, commercially, and industrially) on Sunday, she said.
Haigh added: “The immediate thing would be a temporary fix, obviously, to give them some relief and clean it. Then we are going to do an investigation to see if there is any adjustment and/or addition to be made to the existing design.”
While acknowledging ‘minor issues’ during the initial phase of the new market’s opening, Haigh gave an assurance that these were quickly rectified and emphasised the overall satisfaction of vendors with the market.
The BTII spokeswoman revealed plans to hand over keys to the Butcher’s Block in the first quarter of the year. Following the arrival on island of additional equipment, the butchers and fish vendors will be able to operate in the space.
“There were small issues – what we called the snagging – in the very beginning that were rectified. If there were any additional ones, certainly BARVEN and its members didn’t share that with me and normally we have a very good relationship that if anything is happening in the market that we can rectify, they would inform us or even the vendors themselves directly,” Haigh said.
(RG)
