Tobago vendors complain of spoilt goods from Cabo Star

VENDORS at Scarborough Market are demanding compensation from Central Government after suffering thousands of dollars in losses because of the removal of the T&T Express passenger ferry from the seabridge on March 13.

The vendors said they depend on the fast ferry to transport vegetables daily, and since they began using the Cabo Star, for the past two weeks, most of their goods are spoilt by the time its arrives in Tobago. They also complained about the nine-hour sailing time and the high temperature in the truck area in the Cabo Star. They said this is why the vegetables are spoilt within the first four hours on the vessel, and claim they have lost approximately $4,000 a week in goods.

Vendor Eglah Roach-Adams said, “When those vegetables take all that heat, the steam spoil our cabbage, okra, patchoi, dasheen bush, potatoes...pumpkin and celery come steamed, while the hot peppers, pimentos and shadon beni would be cooked. Many times when we order green plantains, when they arrive on the boat they are yellow.”

Newsday was told that organic vegetables were supplied by Tobago farmers, but in very small quantities. The vendors have depended on Trinidad farmers to cater to Tobago for over 20 years. “Now because of this issue with the boat they would not even make sending vegetables, which are perishable goods, to Tobago priority.

“They would put private cars first and leave the truck with our vegetables back in Trinidad. Sometimes that truck is stuck on the port in Trinidad for days in the sun before those vegetables can make it on the nine-hour, steaming-hot slow boat. The authorities are so inconsiderate.” Roach-Adams said she has lost up to $9,000 in vegetables since December and predicts that she will lose even more.

“We still have to pay the supplier because we ordered them, so if they arrive spoilt, burnt, cooked, steamed, we have to pay the full price for all the goods even if we can’t sell most of them back. We need to get our goods over here in good order, just as popular fast-food outlets. Even though the tourists can’t come here we still need to feed the people of Tobago. ”

Another vendor, of 20 years, Kevon Polson, called on Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly Kelvin Charles to be forceful when advocating for Tobagonians.

He said, “If this Cabo Star can’t work, what will happen? Tobago dead and the Chief Secretary acting like everything is ok. Yes, we are waiting on a solution but we might not be able to catch ourselves by the time the new boat is here. And we can’t say Tobago has an agriculture sector again, only programmes.”