BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A number of upset persons gathered yesterday (Sept. 26) on Fort Street in front of Domino's Pizza showing their dissatisfaction with the way a food vendor who usually sells in front of the building was being treated.
Charlotte St. Juste, who has been selling breakfast on the sidewalk in front of Domino's Pizza, said she was told about two weeks by someone from Domino’s that she was no longer allowed to stay there.
She said the man who was later identified as John Caputo, Master Franchisee North Eastern Caribbean, told her he did not want her table there because she was in competition with him.
“I told him I would try not to put anything on the building but I will stay on the Government sidewalk. He also said he would put plants there, but instead of putting the plants, he placed the tent there, and placed it at 7:00 a.m. but they are not going to start selling until 10:00 a.m.,” she said.
St. Juste said that she usually begins selling at 7:00 a.m. and finishes by 12:00 p.m.
Domino's placed a tent with tables and chairs in the area where St. Juste usually sells displaying some pizza specials.
Sometime after 11:00 a.m. several persons gathered near Dominos declaring how unfair it was…what the company was doing.
Terry Adams, said that he was very upset about what Domino's had done.
“Miss St. Juste normally sells where Domino’s Pizza put up a tent that blocks off the whole side walk; she is not competing with Domino's Pizza, because it’s pizza they brought out to sell and I believe they did it to run a poor woman of St. Kitts.
A foreign business come out in this country and remove a woman who can’t pay rent, have she children and house and everything to pay for, it can’t be right; we are being run out of our own country. It is wicked. I hope people don’t see any positives about that,” he said.
Another woman also said that it was unfair.
“It is not right, the lady is not selling what they are selling; she is not giving competition, we are poor people, we have to make something to make a daily bread You rent a building, that is yours, outside on the sidewalk belongs to Government,” she said.
Ike Emmanuel Charles also agrees that it is wrong what is happening.
“This has nothing to do with the Government. It’s Domino's ain’t want the lady sell; it happened by Omax building as well; it’s unfair, people need to make a living. She don’t sell pizza so she not in competition with them,” he said.
As the crowd got larger and a bit more rowdy, members of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force were called in by the company and spoke to one of the Managers of Domino's.
Several minutes later the tent was moved to another side of the building and many persons seemed pleased with the decision.
In speaking with Caputo, he told SKNVibes that they have always tried to be a Community player and to be part of the community.
“But we also have to look at the location we have and everyday seems to see more and more vendors coming in front of our quarters to sell; we’re in the business of selling food, we pay rent, we pay utilities and everything else that goes along with it, and I think everyone misunderstands how frustrating it is.
“Can you imagine if you have a food place and someone comes to sit in front of you selling food and related items, not paying rent, not paying tax, not registered and as far as our understanding not allowed to be there,” he said.
Caputo said that when he approached St. Juste he asked her politely to move and if she could go in front of one of the banks on Fort Street.
“Her response was that she is not allowed to set up location there, and I asked her why not and she said the bank wouldn’t allow her, so my thing is why is it the Bank wouldn’t allow a place that does not sell food but yet we are expected to do so and we actually sell food?”
Caputo said that St. Juste’s car is also parked in front of his business at times that would block the flow of their delivery drivers; he said she would also put up umbrellas that would block the facility.
“We’re a company that cares, and allows people to do what they got to do to support themselves. It’s a situation where I think no place will tolerate it. It’s not fair, it’s not right especially when there are alternatives.
“There was a stir outside and I instructed my staff to come back inside. The police responded and they did not tell us to stop, but they did suggest to us measures to us to make sure people don’t set up there,” he said.
Caputo said that although they moved their tent and placed it on the other side they prefer for St. Juste to not sell in front of their building as they would like to create “a nice image around the area”.
