The closed season, at its worst between August and October, sees few to almost no cruise ships in the harbour.

A seasoned vendor, Peter Isaac, notes that since COVID, sales have dwindled significantly. Adding to their woes, he says, are vendors’ rent obligations to the Castries Constituencies Council. 

“We have lost maybe 90% of what we are supposed to have been achieving in terms of business. And then they are harassing vendors - they need to pay up, they need to pay up. Pay up with what? With sweetie papers?” he expressed.

The Global Ports Holding Agreement signed by the government will include the revitalisation of the Craft Vendors’ Arcade. This redevelopment will cause cruise passengers’ first point of contact with Saint Lucia being vendors.

With increased traffic, the theory is that vendors will receive more sales. In the meantime, vendors have been encouraged to embrace technological advancements, with many of them now using card machines.

However, this project will take some months before complete realisation, and in the meantime, Isaac says some sort of relief is due to vendors.

“Give us some kind of reprieve in terms of the rental, some 50% reduction in that rental. When the season is reopened, you could say bring back the rental to what it used to be. I mean, last season we didn't even have any ships,” he said.

He argues that vendors are part of the country’s tourism industry and should be treated like any other player.

“So I think the 6 to 8 percent that we are contributing to GDP should be respected and should be looked upon as something where there should be a deliberate effort.”