Government will soon be expanding the vendors’ stalls at Six Men’s Fishing Village, St. Peter.??
This is according to Projects Director at the Ministry of Agriculture, Wayne Baker, who revealed that the stalls at that facility would be upgraded from four feet to 14 x 8 square feet.
"The current facilities at Six Men’s are not ideal; in fact they are quite poor. Right now their conditions are unsatisfactory and cramped, so much so, that two people cannot stand in the same stall," Mr. Baker stated.
Noting that that the stalls were once used in the Bay Gardens at Oistins, the Projects Director explained they were transported to Six Men’s and were currently under repair.
"They have been placed on site and the insides have been painted.?? We just have to finish the plumbing for the stalls, and then we will be ready to hand them over to the vendors," he explained.
According to Mr. Baker, the estimated project cost was some $67,000, inclusive of relocation of stalls, site preparation and remodelling/outfitting of stalls.?? However, after the initial maintenance, the vendors would be responsible for their upkeep.
"If they want to paint it a different colour, put on six locks, or put up their own sign, that is entirely up to them, but that would be done on their own steam, the Ministry does not shoulder that responsibility," he stressed.
In describing the response from the vendors, the Projects Director said from "all indications they are happy; it’s just a matter of allocating the 14 stalls and there is an organisation in Six Men’s that will take care of that".
Lamenting that in the past the only challenge faced in Six Men’s was parking, the Agriculture Officer appealed to persons buying fish to refrain from indiscriminately leaving their vehicles by the side of the road and blocking oncoming traffic.
"Barbadians have this thing that they want to park exactly where they are going, and this has proven to be a headache. That’s why we set up the stalls in two horse shoe or heeled shaped settings.?? That way, there will be an area for persons if they want to pull off the road and purchase their fish," he said.??