BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – NO longer will locals and tourists be afforded the pleasure of eating and or imbibing while enjoying the view of Port Zante from Tiffany’s Bar & Grill, as the proprietor today (Jan. 25) decided to vacate the premises because of what he termed unfair competition.
“THE Indians just messing up this place…driving us locals out of business. They have licence to do one thing and doing other things,” were the words of an evidently frustrated Cecil Rock, proprietor of the now defunct bar and grill.
Rock said he was the first person to establish a business at Port Zante after its completion over 12 years ago.
“I was the first person to start my business at Port Zante. When I began my business here there was no one else here. Now today all sorts of people are coming here. It looked like if I was doing business but nothing was going on here. The fact remains that all them Indians here and then being greedy.”
Rock said many business places at Port Zante are conning the system in an attempt to avoid paying taxes, while accusing a number of Indian businessmen of using receipts instead of cash registers to beat the system.
“The whole trouble is a lot of them giving receipts instead of using cash registers,” he stressed.
The businessman said his problems arose from what he termed “the evident greed and dog eats dog approach being exhibited among some of the businesses at Port Zante”.
Stressing that government needs to intervene, Rock is of the view that many more businesses would be forced to close their doors.
He mentioned that some persons are licenced to sell clothing, souvenirs and or jewellery but they have been selling drinks, among others items.
“They have license to sell certain things and selling other things that they not supposed to sell. The Indians here are really greedy; they want everything and nothing for no one else. They got their licence to do one thing and want to sell everything, so that only them alone can make money. They are so damn greedy!”
Rock said he is frustrated over the situation and is not sure as to his immediate move. He explained that he was operating three businesses at port Zante and taking into consideration the enormous operational cost and very poor returns he decided to close Tiffany’s Bar & Grill.
“A few people were coming in and this didn’t mean that they were buying, as nothing was happening,” he said.
Asked to comment on the rumour that some other store owners have decided to close their businesses at Port Zante, Rock said he was approached by a group for support on this particular issue.
“They had met with me and I was supposed to sign the document also, but as you can see that I am moving out even before any action is taken,” he said.
Rock said with the way things are going he is uncertain as to how long he would continue to remain in business, declaring that the exorbitant rent is forcing many out of business and that sales are generally bad.
“I don’t know how long I gon last…,” he said.
