Potential Bar owner furious about no permits

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A local business man is furious after being denied permits to host events on a number of occasions, without being given a valid reason.
 
Terrance Thompson, more popularly known as ‘Paco,’ owner of the popular bar and party hang out spot Potential, located on Cayon Street just opposite the police station said as a business man he is grieving.
 
Thompson, who has occupied the venue for the past five years as a snackette and bar also uses the venue to host parties and events claims that lately he has been denied permits by the authorities.
 
He further claims that, he does not know why, since he has never been given any reasonable explanation for the denial. “Even other persons who go to get permits to host events at my venue are denied; they always come back and say that the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Stafford Liburd told them, as long as the event is being held at Potential he would not issue the permit.”  
 
The business man said the refusal to grant a permit is destroying his business because he relies greatly on the income which he makes from events as they are normally very successful and provides him with a decent profit. 
 
He stated “Sometimes it makes me feel like I should just close down because the money from the food and drinks alone can’t make it. I have bills to pay, plus rent and employees and I still have to maintain my business by putting back in stuff.”
 
Thompson upon expressing his annoyance at the situation, said that his venue is the only one of its kind in Basseterre and that while there are other venues, they are located in residential areas  in which residents complain about the disturbance  caused  but yet the operators are still issued permits. 
 
“We hear about fights and gunshots at the strip and other venues yet they are still given permits every weekend. We don’t have any of that here, security is always tight at Potential; I don’t play when it comes to that so they cannot say it is because of any incident.”
 
The owner of the venue went on to tell this media house, that some time ago the DCP had visited his establishment and carried out an inspection and the only concern raised was the need to install a gate at the back; so party goers will be provided with an entrance from that location instead of having crowds assembled at the front on Cayon Street. The proprietor informed that he complied fully with the advice.   
 
Thompson said he has plans to stage a number of shows during the upcoming carnival season and intends to invite a number of overseas artistes to participate but is afraid to invest in any plans at the moment.
 
The last event held at the venue was the independence weekend of 2009 which will be one year in just a few weeks.
 
SKNVibes also knows of one event which was to be held there in July but for which no permit was granted for the venue which resulted in its relocation to Club Kactus.  
 
Thompson who has both a business licence and entertainment licence said he has retained the services of a lawyer and will allow the court to deal with the matter but is hoping that the situation is resolved soon because it is really hurting his business.  

SKNVibes tried to contact the DCP a number of times without success.