MP Lyndon Lewis Urges TEATT Minister to Act on Marketplace Conditions

GREAT BAY--Member of Parliament Lyndon Lewis is calling on the Government, particularly Minister of TEATT Grisha Heyliger-Marten, to urgently address the poor conditions at the temporary Philipsburg marketplace.

Vendors say they are operating in unsafe and unbearable conditions, citing extreme heat, lack of ventilation, no electricity or running water, and unsanitary portable toilets. “We have no electricity, no running water and the portable toilets are in a terrible state. The place is very hot and we are in need of proper ventilation,” vendors told MP Lewis.

Originally billed as a three-month relocation, vendors have now spent more than a year in the tents with no clear date for moving into the permanent facility. The prolonged delay has left them in limbo and struggling to sustain their businesses.

Lewis stressed that with hurricane season at its peak, leaving vendors exposed in these conditions is unacceptable. He urged the Ministry of TEATT to provide immediate clarity on the timeline for the new marketplace and to implement urgent improvements, electricity and water, to ease current hardships. He also called for interim support so vendors can continue earning an income.

“When I visited the vendors, there were absolutely no tourists or shoppers present,” Lewis noted, warning that the situation threatens both livelihoods and the island’s tourism image.

He emphasized that the delays are not the fault of vendors and that government must ensure they have a safe, functional, and dignified space to operate. Supporting vendors, he said, is not just an economic priority but also a matter of public safety and respect for entrepreneurship.