A snapped lamp pole rests in front of Hollis Cosmetics on Baillou Hill Road yesterday.

Several business owners still without power two weeks after Hurricane Matthew said yesterday they are unable to pay salaries due to the decrease in business.

"I can't pay my workers' salaries when I'm not making anything," said Betty Bullard, owner of All Seasons Florists on Baillou Hill Road.

"We've been off from October 5 ... and today it's still off; no cable, no light, no telephone, no water and it's really, really bad.

"Sales have dropped and I still have to keep my staff because they have to live.

"I told the staff they are going to have to start working days, but they really can't afford that because everyone has bills to pay. The bills are still there. It's been too long."

Bullard said the store can not house the flowers because they need electricity to keep the cooler running.

She said because the water supply needs the electricity supply to be on, they also have a hard time watering the flowers and are forced to use the government pump a few feet away from the store.

"I have to be running back and forth with flowers trying to keep them cool at another location that I have on Ross corner," she said.

"It's not easy because we are toting buckets of flowers.

"When someone wants a special order, we have to run down there to get the flowers, come here, make it up and take the leftovers back.

"So not only are we losing money on gas, but we are losing money on time."

Bullard said because of the storm she also has roof damage that she is unable to fix because of the decrease in sales.

"I just don't see [any] way out yet," she said.

"If the electricity was on it would have been a lot less [of a] burden in recuperating after the storm.

"We would have sales, people would be coming in."

Ephraim Jones, owner of Residents Resort in the Garden of Eden, in Eastwood, also expressed concerns about whether he will be able to pay his employees after two weeks of little to no business.

The resort has not had electricity supply since October 6 and has been running on a small generator for minimal service.

"We have given persons short days and we really don't want to lay anyone off," Jones said.

"I am beyond frustrated. I don't have any anger because these things happen but I have a problem how the new company is handling things.

"I just hope we can get it sorted out one way or another.

"I am not pleased with the work that they are doing."

The resort has been opened for almost two years.

"It's rough. We have lost a lot and we have had so many persons calling for rooms.

"But we just keep telling people sorry we can't help you.

"I don't know how they expect us to survive. We have no business. If you don't laugh, you will go crazy."

Jones said he is just ready for the power to cut back on.

"We are hurting, but we are not going to let it keep us down," he said.

Across the street from All Seasons Florists is Anthony Gibson's printing shop, Gippy's Printing.

"We don't have electricity and it's appalling," Gibson said.

"It's disgusting and we aren't used to this; it's 2016.

"We still have to pay the bill and if we don't pay, they will cut us off.

"It isn't making any sense."

The print shop has been opened for over 20 years. It is running on a rental generator.

"The company has to rent a generator that they have to pay for," Gibson said.

"Then it's about $50 worth of gasoline per day to run the generator.

"There is no compensation from BPL (Bahamas Power and Light) and you still need to operate.

"Your customers are asking for discounts and compensation because the work is not ready and we still are not going to get any discount or compensation for the inconvenience that the electricity company is committed to."

In a press release yesterday, BPL said it has reached 90 percent restoration in New Providence following Hurricane Matthew.

Sloan Smith, Guardian Staff Reporter

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