More bikinis than bananas! Critics say RT Market strays from purpose
The Road Town Market, redeveloped at a cost of more than $1 million and launched with promises of becoming a cultural and agricultural hub, is drawing sharp criticism for being underused and straying from its intended purpose.
Political commentator Claude Skelton Cline has questioned the direction of the project. “Every time I drive by now, I see more brasieres than potatoes. I see more bikinis than bananas,” he said while arguing that the facility was not being used to showcase local produce.
He added, “I thought that the Market Square would be a place, a cultural venue, where we can house the products of the country, the food provisions, get fresh, organic items, as much as we can. And it will be a bustling place, space, if not every day, at least three — Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays — out of the week”.
Market vision versus reality
The Road Town Market reopened in early 2023 after a major redevelopment intended to provide a modernised space for farmers, craft vendors and cultural activities. Officials said at the time that the redesign was meant to support local agriculture and tourism by giving residents and visitors a central hub for fresh produce and handmade goods.
However, reports and observations since its opening show many stalls occupied by vendors selling clothing and imported goods rather than agricultural produce. Farmers have instead chosen to sell their crops along the highway or near the fire station, leaving the market square with few food vendors.
Skelton Cline argued that the lack of organisation had led to disorder. “The country needs organising. The spaces and the places we occupy need to be properly organised. We cannot do as we please,” he insisted.
City Manager defends approach
City Manager Janice Brathwaite defended the current mix of vendors, noting that the project was meant to create opportunities for different groups, not only farmers.
She explained that the City of Road Town was working to balance various needs while encouraging more farmers to use the facility.
“It is serving the purpose that it was built to serve,” Brathwaite said.
“As it relates to the vendors in that market, we have to be mindful of the fact that we did have some long-term vendors, but what we were seeing developing is the same situation as we had at Crafts Alive,” Brathwaite explained. “You have people who were there three, four months and were already in arrears. And we can’t afford to operate like that any longer.”
She added that after being informed of the need to be punctual with rental payments, vendors opted not to continue occupying the spaces.
Call for order
Meanwhile, Skelton Cline urged leaders to step in. “We need to hear from the minister for this subject. We need to hear from city planning. We need to hear from the member of the 4th District. Why is this part of our city in the condition that it’s in?” he asked.
He said residents should not have to settle for a market space that fails to meet its vision.
“When you see more brasieres than potatoes and more bikinis than bananas in a market that is supposed to be the venue for provisioning, you gotta chuckle to keep from crying because you don’t understand what’s going on anymore,” he added.
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The lazy journalism continues. Llisten to one radio show and call it news. What??
I totally agree with Skelton Cline’s criticism of the renovated market square. The stalls and items for sale lack the ambience of a market.
At best, markets grow of their own accord in locations best suited to their needs. They cannot be regimented and set down at “y” feet and “x” inches. Street markets may become a tourist attraction, but they don’t begin life with that intention.
Getting it right is a difficult balancing act.
Your statement “At best markets grow of thier own accord….”says it all that is why, on this matter, I stand with the City Manager. The center was always intended for mixed use, and we must be honest with ourselves — cruise ship passengers and overnight visitors will not be coming in large numbers to buy fruit. That is simply not the reality. The free market has already determined what is viable and what is not. So let us call this what it is: a strawman argument from the CSC, made for the sake of argument, and not grounded in the facts.
That’s why there are other stores for bikinis and other items. The market was intended for produce.
City manager needs to go back to the speeches on opening of the renovated market.
This is what happens when we allow others to come in and bring their culture to the destruction of our country and economy. While our leaders pretend it’s not happening.
Those people at the police headquarters on Saturday have no call there either; they need to be by the market.
BVI, we need to wake up out of this sleep and see what is going on.
Why do we always want to see outside culture as damaging, ugly or nasty. Some of the same outside culture is the normal culture around the whole Caribbean or the world and it works for them and it works for us too if we dig into it. Some of the same outside culture that we don’t have is why we so far behind in everything and like to feel like we so better than every other Caribbean country.
You have made a valid point “Jah Know”.
The BVI’s cultural insularity could benefit from outside sources. Just as the cultural identity of France has benefited by inclusion of artists from elsewhere.
Sorry, it is a known fact that almost anything associated with the name B* is usually wrappped in incompetence, low production and stagnation.
I am tired and fed up with these Skelton Clines. All is it for them is power and control for their own interest. Why is BVi news giving this person who has ripped off taxpayers so much air time. This man has no shame and the people who listen to him need some kind of medical attention. Everything about this man is crooked.
You don’t need to admire the messenger to acknowledge the truth of the message. We didn’t spend a million dollars to mimic a flea market. We invested to honour farmers, not to sideline them.
There is already a designated space for brassieres, bikinis, and craft items i.e., the Crafts Alive Market. Yet we consistently misuse other public spaces, such as the Sir Olva Georges Plaza, while leaving the Road Town Market underutilized.
This thing has to make sense. When we blur the lines between cultural hubs and commercial clutter, we betray both the farmer and the vision.
These politicians think so condescending of the hard working farmers that they build these little shacks for people who took the pride and hard work to become entrepreneurs as part of their self dependence goal, there should have been a proper concrete multi story building with bathroom and office space for small business rentals, the trash been built is not properly thought out, it was probably just another project for politicians and family eat from the tax payers chaff.
The bikinis attract the bananas.
Best comment
Our local farmers and agriculture department produce a tiny amount of plant and animal food.
At the market square there are suppose to be selling straw hats, coal pots, fresh greens, onion peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes,fish, chicken and meat.
This government is not a solution! BVI is not in progression it is in regression! No flipping progress just poor greed!
The Agriculture Department does not produce crops and livestock. The production of crops and livestock is the responsibility of farmers.
The reason why the market don’t have local farmers supporting it is because farmers don’t have much produce to consistently utilise the space. Most do not advertise and market their produce. Most do not spend money to turn raw items into value added products.
They might know how to farm but most farmers are poor at advancing their business.
Farmers biggest complain is lack of water. With water they will be able to produce more. Hon. Dawson was recently the elected minister for that and that Natalio was not funding anything.
We NEED a snap election!
Why can’t we go ahead and just plant 200 plants of each as a start; lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, bananas, plums, star fruit, lemons, onions.
Breed more chickens and cattle like cows, goats, pigs, etc.
No care and no action in this place!!
For a change let’s call a spade a spade. Firstly, the farmers and fishers (as they are now called) have said they can’t afford those spaces. Hence they are in the Plaza every Saturday or off to the side further up the street from the Fire Station. Most of the produce is imported from Dominica, etc. So not local. Next door to the Plaza is a little gravel space where fish is sold. Fish is also sold at Cleaning Hole off the side of the road. Someone even erected a little hut there. Some farmers are selling out of other spaces like their restaurant, or at RTW or from their home. You can buy produce at one little store on the Plaza. People use what they can. Additionally, even if I wanted to go there and look at bikinis or bananas where would I park? You can only do any shopping in that area, even at the stores along that area, on a Saturday when all the spaces aren’t taken up by people working in those buildings. CSC likes to stir every pot. Ask him what he ever did for anyone other than himself in this country. What has he contributed to local culture. He talks like an American Baptist Minister. Is that his contribution to BVI culture? Further more what does he actually KNOW about BVI culture? Please!
Can’t even get fresh lettuce and fresh chicken and fish there.
The caribbean produce is there and not the BVI produce. What a shame. Vote VIP outttt!
To all current and future politicians, politrickans riches hunters alike, please nte:
In life’s final moments, it’s not power, money, cars, businesses, buildings or fortune that define us—but the choices we make for humaity.
This man is unbelievably annoying. Has he ever been to a marketplace before? They sell all kind of things. So what if someone is not selling fruits and vegetable? If others want to sell clothes to earn a living, let them. Not everyone had a chance to steal money from government.
We asked for a food market, not a flea market
You have no sense of purpose!
Best comment so far… If there’s not enough produce to sell there on a constant basis,let the other vendors sell what they have. I definitely think it would have been best for food produce whether local or imported but it is what it is…. People are to judgemental and think they know everything…. Claude Cline is definitely one of those people. Why is he given a forum to plant his stupid seeds?
Let’s focus on the message because it is a good one. A market connotes culture, architecture, history and functionality. This project was and is a failure from start to finish. Our fore-parents are turning over in their graves. And they spent over a million $$$$? Heads should roll. I’m just sick and tired of being ripped off.
Each of those stalls cost around $ 45,000 to build. This was published around the time they were built. A crew of four competent carpenters could have built one a week taking their time. Labor cost for that would have been $ 5,000 (4 guys, 5 days, $ 250 day). Throw in 20% as a management fee. There’s not a lot to those stalls, certainly less than $ 3,000 in lumber. That gets you to about $ 9,000. Add a (greedy) 50% profit margin. That gets you to $15,000 (rounding off). Somebody did well.
that whole area needs tearing up, it’s a waste of space and a giant eyesore in the middle of town, imagine the headache of those who work in those buildings to find parking
It’s our own ppl fault why this is happening. If the market was built for what they actually wanted it to be then it would’ve attracted the farmers and fisher men, etc. The million of dollars we pay for advisors who advising them nonsense just laughing at the government. No where I’ve seen a “Modern” market look like 1985 shack stalls built for over 1 million.
First of all it should be noted that the Sir Olva Georges Plaza area was the original Farmers and Fishermen Market. This should have been grounded as a historical and cultural site and not moved here there and everywhere thus diluting erasing and disrespecting the cultural efforts of our ancestors. The free for all that has been developed with expats taking advantage of their connections to their home countries agricultural produce while local farmers have been denied of meaningful support and representation have caused a situation where locals must now find spaces where they can make a living in the current equation. The trumpeting of the situation by someone who has nothing to lose or gain highlights the stupidity and selfishness that we continue to exhibit towards one another in this country. Has anyone taken a deep look into why the youth are as callous and cold as they are. The stupidity and self defeating attitude of Virgin Islanders is sickening. In closing there is a question that I would like to ask…What was the little balcony on the old administration building used for and why was it removed. These are the type of questions that need to be answered instead of creating confusion and foolish distractions. It may interest readers to know that in neighboring St. Thomas the Farmers Market at lower Main Street has remained in place from the days when our ancestors were auctioned as slaves until today. Cline needs to come up with something of substance instead of trying to make bad matters worse. Watch it mek mi clear out mi voice fe goh crow.
The marketplace is what we know what we grew up, knowing
Money coming inside either way so what’s the issue? This man does move like he wearing pad mehson. Always coming and ain’t doing s**t for the community. The lady already said what she said you still asking for minister and others opinion on the matter .smh do something for the country other than complain… just because you’re a Skelton… wellsahh.. can’t Hustle in peace on this damn island and then ya wonder why these young people out here doing what they’re doing . And is locals too! Ayo badminded. Out expats hustling while ya locals children robbing their own people jewelry
Those beach huts look alike is truly embarrassing to look at. You don’t agree with my comment, so be it. that is my opinion and everyone has a right to his/her opinion.
It is a market.
Market are for sales.
YES
If you do not have bananas, you can also sell bikinis.
It is a MARKET not just a FOOD MARKET.
After agriculture is fixed then come back with your discussion.
Parking anywhere near that disaster?
The entire construction of the market is terrible .The stalls are built with no care, no thought for the vendor nor the consumers. When it rains the vendors, stalls and produce are not protected.
Who ever came up with that plan needs not to be put in charge for such projects.
We have to do better, we keep putting people in charge with no skills and paying them . We have to.do better as a nation.
That area should of been a public green space.
This is a ranch
Look at the Kisok
It was built with no vision
Where will the farmers get storage for overnight produce
Where will they get shelter from the rain during selling hours
Wre have no market in the town
You see BVI going backwards while the rest of the islands moving forward
No VISION
BOUGHT WITH TAXPAYERS MONEY / AND IT WAS FOR THE CUBAN TO PUT INTO ACTION SO WE COULD GROW HEALTHY VEGATEBLES TO FEED OURSELVES AND MAYBE EXPORT TO ST THOMAS AS WE DEVELOP MORE LANDS AS THE YEARS ROLL ON / BUT THE CUBAN IGNORED THE GREEN HOUSE EQUIPMENT & MACHINERY AND ,LET THEM GO TO WASTE / HE FOUND IT BETTER TO HANG OUT WITH THE ( ENGLANDER sir BRONSON ) AND SIP ON SOME GIN & CHAMPAGNE AND CHAT SH*T • SO NOW WE ARE AT MERCY OF THE OVERSEAS IMPORTED ” GMO ” FOODS THAT ARE SOLD IN THE SUPERMARKETS, EHAT A WASTE OF KNOWLEDGE.
spaces and can’t get full water supply
Now where is the government intervention and solution?
Food security remains a concern and STILL on the to-do list haha. We are not progressing at all!
Election is in 2 years and this will be apart of a ‘promise speech. ‘
A Public Market is supposed to be a free space for market people, and that is the tradition and culture.
We didn’t have to pay for the market that was there originally. Why did they have to change the culture of what market is all about? They want people to pay, so people have to sell whatever they have to sell.
If they don’t want bikinis there, fine. Set standards that is only agricultural products and food (cook or raw) should be sold there. And remove the fees.
I repeat. REMOVE CHARGES from using the public market.