The managers at the Fort Point Tourism Village are expecting a million visitors next year - but they've got a million worries this year.
More than just government's new deal with Carnival Cruise Line, village managers have a more immediate headache. Vendors outside the village are vex, again and the battle line is drawn at the village's newly shuttered fence, which now effectively shuts off even the sight of vendors across the street.
It's a legitimate beef, and when Keith Swift went out there today; it was cooking. He got both sides of the story: inside and outside.
Keith Swift Reporting,
Dubbed by some as 'The Great Wall' - it towers at least 7 feet over the Tourist Village creating a divide - between cruise tourists on one side and vendors on the other. It's an imposing structure and tourists aren't taking well to the imposition.
Cruise Ship Passenger #1,
"I think the gates are unnecessary. They are unnecessary we came here to see the culture and they are blocking it from us."
Cruise ship passenger #2,
"I think the gates are unnecessary. They are unnecessary we came here to see the culture and they are blocking it from us."
Cruise ship passenger #3,
"I did wonder why the barrier was there. I didn't know if it was unsafe to come out here or if they had it there for a reason."
Cruise ship passenger #4,
"We couldn't see and it kind of bothered me but we snuck down to wet lizards and just came through but I was just wondering what was back here. I was curious."
Cruise ship passenger #5,
"It means like you don't want to come back her because it might not be safe but were surprised when we came back it was really cool…you get better deals and the people were really nice but we wouldn't have known that if we didn't come around. We just thought it was that area behind the fence - so yeah they need to knock that gate down."
So the tourists say they feel shut-in - and the vendors say they have been shutout, which is putting a serious cramp on their business and cash flow.
Debbie Ewens, Tourist Village Vendor
"Of course its affecting my business because simply the wall is there - so means that people cannot get out, and we cannot get in or even see inside there. So the flow that was once there is no longer out here."
Tourist Village Vendor,
"We noh wah get rich. We just want to feed our kids and make a living."
Miss Gardiner, Tourist Village Vendor
Nobody can't come out and the tourists can't even see us here. And when they do come out it is just a few of them. We don't make anything. We have to pay $35 for these tents and we can't even pay that. That's not fair."
Raymond McFadzean, Tourist Village Taxi
"I have been working here for the past 2 years these gates have been closed and they have given us no explanations - none."
"It's really putting a pressure on us because some of rent our cars and we need to put food on the table too and we are not making any money."
Harley Burn, Tourist Village Taxi
"They say that they put up these gates for the protection of the diamonds - the diamonds have been here and nobody have tried to steal them. They are no thieves here. We are just trying to earn an honest living."
There are of course two sides to a story and in this case two sides to a fence. The Tourist Village says there is one word and one reason for the fence - security.
James Nisbet, General Manager Tourist Village
"They have gotten back to us with certain recommendations for making security a little more effective with regards to deterring any type of activity that they may deem unfit or somewhat threatening to any international passengers."
"The wall so to speak was a recommendation on their part simply because of the proximity of the gate to the actual dock. The absence of whoever or whatever foreign body from outside trying to cause some problem---if they cannot see, it sort of gives the guests a little bit of breeding room even as they filter onto the street."
"There is no way we can stop anyone from going out to see the country."
So while they may not be able to stop them from visiting other parts of the country, it seems they can at least limit their view.
The regulations Nisbet says they have to comply with are those of the International Marine Organization, which mandates compliance by July of this year.