A major redevelopment project at the Castries Vendors Arcade, a key tourism retail hub adjacent to Saint Lucia’s main cruise port, has left nearly 120 local vendors displaced, sparking mixed reactions as the head of the island’s vendors association commends the prime minister’s commitment to compensation while pushing for fair, inclusive relief and thoughtful relocation planning.
The redevelopment forms a core component of a broader port upgrade initiative delivered through a public-private partnership between the government of Saint Lucia and Global Ports Holding. The project is designed to modernize the island’s primary cruise terminal and surrounding tourism infrastructure, with plans to completely rebuild the outdated vendors arcade to better serve both visitors and local sellers long-term. But the immediate phase of the work launched earlier this week, when demolition crews moved in to raze the existing structure, requiring all operating vendors to vacate their stalls in less than two weeks.
While vendors received formal advance notice of the vacation timeline, the short window has created significant disruption for sellers, 90% of whom rely entirely on tourism-facing sales to make a living. Speaking to local outlet St. Lucia Times, Peter “Ras Ipa” Isaac, president of the Saint Lucia Vendors Association, said he was encouraged by Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre’s public pledge to provide financial compensation to displaced sellers, a move he says aligned with his expectations of the leader.
“I was expecting something like that because I know the Prime Minister. He has a place in his heart for little people, people like us who are struggling,” Isaac explained. “I must say bravo to him because if he didn’t react in the way that he reacted in terms of coming out and saying that the vendors would be compensated, I would be disappointed.”
But Isaac’s praise comes with pointed questions about equitable treatment and practical planning for the dozens of sellers affected by the project. He pointed out that out of the 115 vendors displaced by the arcade closure, only 44 temporary stalls will be available in the first phase of relocation, leaving more than half of sellers without a designated space to operate while construction proceeds. Project delays, rooted in ongoing global supply chain disruptions and international conflicts, have pushed back the completion of new temporary facilities, creating uncertainty for sellers who have already lost their primary source of income.
Many vendors also incurred unexpected costs to clear out their stalls in the required 12-day window, after investing thousands of dollars in permanent fixtures including shutters, display counters and storage units over years of operation. “People had to break those things down and hire transport to carry them home. We had very little time to do that,” Isaac said.
The association leader also outlined the broader economic vulnerabilities facing local vendors, who already struggle with seasonal fluctuations in cruise tourism and unfair competition from on-board retail operations. “Sometimes in the off-season there’s one ship a week, sometimes none,” he noted, adding that cruise lines often sell identical locally-made souvenirs to passengers at lower prices than street vendors can offer, siphoning off critical revenue.
Despite these challenges, Isaac emphasized that small-scale vendors are a foundational pillar of Saint Lucia’s economy, contributing to the island’s GDP alongside other small tourism-focused businesses. When combined with taxi operators, minibus drivers, local farmers and small manufacturers, these small businesses account for roughly 8% of the country’s total gross domestic product. “The moment a vendor makes five dollars, that money goes straight back into the economy,” he said. “They buy bread, take a bus home, pay bills and support other businesses.”
Looking at past policy interventions, Isaac pointed to successful support measures implemented by previous governments, including a two-year rent freeze enacted by former Prime Minister Kenny Anthony, and targeted rental discounts approved by former Castries Town Clerk Lambert Nelson during extended slow tourism periods. Currently, vendors pay roughly $138 per month in rent after the addition of value-added tax, a cost that many already struggle to cover during off-peak seasons.
To address the current displacement crisis, Isaac has put forward two key proposals: either relocate all displaced vendors to available unused space in the nearby Castries Market building for the duration of construction, or ensure that every displaced seller receives equal compensation, regardless of whether they have any outstanding rent arrears. “I think everyone who’s in there, whether they owe rent or not, should be compensated,” he said.
Isaac also raised concerns about unconfirmed reports that the government plans to raise rents once vendors move into the newly rebuilt arcade. Local sellers have pushed for a two-year rent freeze after relocation to help them recover from the disruption of construction, and Isaac called for a fresh start for all vendors once the project is complete. “We welcome what the Prime Minister is saying. That’s a step in the right direction,” he noted. “But I think good sense must prevail that people must go into that place with a clean slate and start afresh.”