-
by pltm
(PLTM) - Vendors at the popular Long Bay Beach at Beef Island are bemoaning that they could save at least $1,000 every month if they could be granted access to electricity.
Owner of Island Boy Beach Shack, Sylvan ‘Clavie’ Penn told BVI Platinum News that it is a major struggle for vendors operating at that location.
“No, not a walk in the park; sometimes it got its good days and sometimes it gets real challenging,” he said.
According to Penn, he has made suggestions to some legislators that could make a difference for their plight; however, the issues are still to be addressed.
He shared with BVI Platinum that there is electrical power in the recently built bathroom and there is a meter house, and it is designed in a way to provide power to the three main vendors on the beach.
He said as a marine engineer by profession, he knows that using a marine dock pedestal, the three meters can be placed in the meter house and on the three different pedestals, and direct burial cables can be placed close enough to the vendors so they could utilize the power that could lead back to a meter system that BVI Electricity could bill the vendors for their monthly usage.
“It is going to be cheaper for us doing business there, just being able to use the power. That’s a savings of at least $1,000 every month for every vendor that is doing business there now,” Penn stated.
He added, “That money could go into keeping somebody employed for another year! Or that could be savings for the year!”
Penn said he is running his business from generators and his generators have been sabotaged and even stolen.
Speaking in his particular case, Penn stated that he has tried without success to get a lease agreement from the Government that would enable a smoother process for his shack to be powered up with electricity.
“We have three vendors over there who suffer daily because when they got generator issues, they cannot operate the way they should. For me, when I’m operating on gasoline I’m spending almost $1,200, $1,400 every month. When I’m using diesel, I’m doing on average $900 to $1,200. To get an electrical hook up to pay for electricity monthly probably wouldn’t even cost me $200! And these are the challenges that you go through constantly, every day," Penn pointed out.
Penn said he is even considering solar energy for his establishment as a way to cut costs.
He further explained that after becoming injured during the 2017 hurricanes, he had to find a way to sustain himself and he got the idea to commence operations under a tent with a colleague, selling food and drink items with the permission of the Government, in an effort to attract tourists to the beach.
In 2019, he built the shack from his East End residence and transferred it to the beach because he was too exposed to the elements, despite being under a tent.
“My bar there, it’s an answer to my prayer that father God give me a dry spot where I could make some money,” he remarked.
