BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE owner of Reggae Beach Bar and Grill, Gary Pereira, has spoken out on the controversy between him and the vendors who operate on the outskirts of his business.
Speaking with this media house, Pereira said he had tried to be very accommodating to the beach vendors and that there have been two of them who were not appreciative and have instead been offensive towards him and also to the tourists.
He said that some time ago, the Ministry of Tourism had called a number of beach bar and hotel owners (including him) and asked their permission to accommodate a few vendors to provide massage services to their [bar and hotel] customers.
Pereira said he agreed but for quite some time struggled to maintain some balance among the six females who were dispatched to his restaurant.
"The Ministry of Tourism told me they wanted to send six ladies over to the bar and I said six is a lot because the bar is small, but I want to work with them so I said okay. Everybody must get a piece of the pie. I want to see the locals that have their business going keep their business going as they provide for their family and what not.
"We set them up in an area close to the bar and they had their tables lined off, and we would tell the guests that if they wish to, they can go to that area and get an aloe massage. So the guests knew that there was massage available and they knew where they could go and get one," he explained.
Pereira stated that problems occurred when the vendors tried to gain business from the guests.
"One of the problems was that six of them were here and whenever the guests come to get a massage there are six independent vendors here. So who would be the one to get the client?
"So I came up with the idea to put up a sign to help them control this problem. The sign is there with their names and they would go in order. When the first person comes for a massage, whoever is number one would get that person and whoever is number two on the board would get the second person and so on.
"I did it like this so that nobody would have to rush the guests, it is to help them. I put a shade up over their area so neither them nor the tourists who come for massages would be in the sun. I just got a sign that says ‘Aloe Vera Spa’ to put up for them," the bar owner explained.
With regards to the controversy that led to some of the vendors moving, Pereira declared that it started after a fight took place between two of them.
"Some time ago, there was a fight on the beach between two of the vendors and the police had to be called in and took them down to the Frigate Bay Police Station. The others who were still on the beach, we asked that they did not approach the guests. Then I said one person at a time go on the beach and interact with the guests and advertise a little.
"One of them who was arrested came over, even though she was told by Tourism to wait until further notice before she could come back over here. I told the young lady she cannot be here right now because Tourism said they have to wait until the fighting issue is resolved before they come back out.
"She decided she could go on the beach and I did not stop her because it is a public beach. And another vendor decided to go down on the beach as well and I said if you're going to go down there then you should not be up here on my property," Pereira explained, which was contrary to what the vendors said.
In response to allegations that he is accusing the vendors of blocking tourists access to the beach, the bar owner said that the ladies usually have their tables lined across the shoreline, which is the space between the high water mark and the water itself.
He said this is the path where the tourists and anyone else have to walk in order to access the water, but their efforts are impeded by the tables that lined off across the beach.
He then expressed his dissatisfaction with the fact that he is cursed by the vendors whenever he attempts to interact with the guests.
"How would you feel if you went to the bank and borrowed money to buy your property and you invest in this and you cannot even walk on your own property, which goes down to the high water mark, and interact with your guests without being cursed left, right and centre and there is nothing you can do?" Pereira asked.
He went on: "They are causing a lot of problems. I don't know why. I do my best here. I am the one advertising and getting the guests to come here. They are benefitting from it and I am happy for them because they have families to feed. I want them to get the business.
"But there are one or two of them who are causing confusion and it is sending a bad image, because when the guests are on the beach they are shouting and carrying on...it does not look good."
Speaking with another vendor who is still plying her trade on the property of Reggae Beach Bar and Grill, she explained that Pereira has been trying to make provisions for them, noting that she and a number of others understand his viewpoint and have been working well with him.
"If they just look at the bigger picture instead of just today, everything would work out. They are just looking at how much money they can make today, even if it is at the expense of another. They need to understand that the season has just started and there are going to be slow times and fast times," she explained.
She went on the explain that she understands the schedule board was established in order to eliminate the guests being harassed, as it would eradicate the same guest being asked the same question or told the same thing by more than one vendor.
Pereira said he has been trying his best and if the vendors would only co-operate, business would run smoothly.
"I have been doing everything I can to accommodate and help them - set up an area for them, provide shade, advertising sign and wash area for them - and they decide to go and do their own thing even though they signed an agreement with Tourism to adhere to the rules of the owner," Pereira said.
