Pelican Village craft makers endure ‘dismal’ Independence season

Artisans at Pelican Village craft section endured a dismal Independence season with vanishing footfall and scant sales.

Barbados TODAY interviewed artisans who said they should have benefited from their prime location near the Port of Bridgetown. Instead, most were left stunned by how little business came their way.

Inside Jenanya’s, owner and clothes designer Keisha Thompson explained the problem began long before Independence Day. Cruise ships may start calling from October, she said, but “the location that we are now is not where we were… we were more at the top where the food court section is.”

Looking across the street, she gestured to the steady trickle of visitors who never turn their heads. “If you look across there you see a lot of visitors from the cruise ship — they’re going to walk on that side. There’s nothing indicating to them there are craft persons over here, so it’s been very… [a] bit frustrating.”

She said tenants now have to “think of ways to get them over here”, even while juggling rent and utilities. And although December marks the official start of the full cruise season, her expectations are cautious. “I’m not saying the Independence sales were horrible, but they could have been better… when we were at the other end things moved a bit brisker.”

A few steps away at Nafai Creations, jeweller and owner Sandra Padmore didn’t soften her assessment. This Independence season, she said, could only be described as “very, very quiet”.

When asked whether she saw any pick-up in crowds, she shook her head. “No, not at all… the craft shops were very quiet.”

Comparing this year to previous ones, she added: “This was really, really dead… it’s no comparison.” Normally, flags and pins would sell out quickly, but this time everything remained untouched. “I have everything here still.”

She said: “I could’ve leave my place shut this Independence season.”

Even so, the artisans are holding out hope. With cruise arrivals set to intensify from mid-December, they’re praying the Christmas season will bring the foot traffic Independence never did. As Padmore put it: “I’m really praying it would pick up… really pick up.” (LE)