The overseer from the Bath/Woodley Park Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) has informed vendors from the Bath market that they would have to relocate to an open tarmac that government has constructed nearby. The vendors have refused, saying it has no proper facilities.
Contacted, the overseer told this newspaper that the vendors are occupying the “road reserve” and that they would have to move. He said government is trying to keep the reserve clean and clear and want the vendors to sell in a more organized manner. The overseer said four “flush toilets” with sinks would soon be built on a spot that is being occupied by a farmer and he has been served a notice to remove. With regard to the permanent stalls the vendors are requesting, he pointed out that tarmacs [in other parts of the country as well] do not accommodate that. The tarmac would be used for other purposes such as basketball. If vehicles are allowed to go there the tarmac would be damaged. The vendors, he said can leave their stalls on the reserve at the side of the market. He had also asked them to form a delegation and take their concerns to Minister of Local Government, Kellawan Lall. According to him, they are trying to move the vendors to give them better accommodation but they refuse. This newspaper spoke to the vendors and a few shoppers and got these comments:
Paul Ramcharran, vendor,
`I don’t like the idea of selling at that new location because it is not suitable at all. First of all they [government officials] did not inform us that they were making a tarmac for the vendors. The overseer from the NDC came last week and told us that we have to go over there.
But that place doesn’t have any facility; no fence, no light and no water. He told us that when we finish selling we have to remove our stalls but we have no place to put them. I am willing to move if they make it more convenient and if they allow us to have permanent structures on the tarmac.’
Deokalie ‘Gladys’ Rambarran, vendor,
`They want us to move from this market and go over to the tarmac to sell but we cannot go if they don’t make the place better. They said we have to move our stalls every time we finish selling and fetch it back when we ready to use it again. I am 64-years-old and I can’t fetch this heavy stand every week. I am selling at this market for 30 years now and it is not so easy for me to leave here and go over there. That place has no shed and no fence, nothing and it is no good surrounding for us.’
Jerry
Karamchand, vendor,
`I have been selling at this market for several years now and I don’t see why they have to come and move us and take us on that tarmac that is without any shed. If I am to take over the stall that I am currently using I have to find 10 men to help me because it is very heavy. Where I would find 10 men to help me every time? I would have to go in expense to make a new stall and that is not fair. We don’t affect anyone here and I am not moving from here. I want the authorities to leave us right here to sell because we only come here once per week for about two and a half hour. We cannot go in that hot sun on that bitumen and vehicles cannot go on the tarmac.’
Roshan Ally, shopper,
`Although it is good that the government made a new spot for them to sell I don’t think that the vendors should remove from here. First of all if they are going to relocate the vendors they have to make the place better. I don’t think that tarmac is suitable at all the way it is.
Apart from that, I find this location very convenient for shopping because it is by the roadside. I have been shopping here all the time and I don’t appreciate there. I support the vendors and I think they should have whatever they are comfortable with. Government should put in the facilities there or leave the people right here.’
Ricky Jai, vendor,
`I trade from different countries to come to this market and I have been selling here for a few years now. To go over to the new market and remove my stand every time would be very difficult because the stand is very heavy. I am 21-years-old and I am here to make a living.
To me if we have to go over there a lot of people would be forced to stop selling because of the inconvenience. At least they should have considered the difficulties the vendors would face over there. The place is not fenced and the cows would come in and mess it up and affect us while we are selling. The cows are coming here too but it is not so bad.’
Alimoon Nesha, vendor,
`Last week they came and told us we have to go over to the tarmac but they just cannot come and put people there like animals to sell in that sun. Then if we have a stand we have to move the stand when we finish selling. I am living at Rosignol and I don’t know anybody here at Bath so where am I going to put this stand. Then we cannot sell on the ground without a shed. I am selling things to eat and I cannot have them on the ground spoiling. If they make the stand and put the shed over it we would go willingly. We would even pay a little extra than what they ask us to pay. Without the proper stand and shed I would have to quit and I am a single parent. They should see with us and we would see with them to move over there. At least I do not have a problem with the spot; it is okay. It is safer because it is off the road but they have to give us proper facilities.”
Eustace Duggin, shopper,
`I feel that the vendors should go over to the tarmac because this market is on the road and it is very busy. People would have to go across the road to buy provision and they can get knock down. I agree that they should relocate but they have to get security to protect the people’s stands. I live around here and I have noticed that the guys would come and move out the people’s stalls and break them up. This would happen in the nights when they consume alcohol. I also think they should put in washroom facilities, have a stand pipe and fence the place.
Sunita Persaud, vendor
`We are market vendors and we want to be treated like human beings.
Why they can’t come and talk with us properly. The overseer from the NDC was here last week and he told us that before the day out we have to remove our stands. I cannot understand why they want the stands to be removed. If they build a market they cannot treat people like that.
They have to provide better accommodation and we need a better word. I think the Minister of Local Government should come and reach the vendors in the market so that we can talk and things can be better for us. We would go; no problem to go but they don’t have security over there. We cannot sell on the bitumen without any shed because the heat would burn our greens, provision and fruits.’
Rajpattie Kedaru, vendor,
`First of all the spot where they are moving us to is not suitable and I feel that if they want to move us they have to make us comfortable.
Apart from not having the shed, fence and other facilities, it just rained a little this morning and water already lodged on the tarmac.
We selling here for years now and it is just for a short time. We would not get business there; the business is here. They want the meat and the greens to sell separately and I sell both so I don’t believe that is right. Then they want us to fetch out stalls. I would not be able to do that because it is too heavy. We might have to go in expense to build new stalls that are lighter.’
Selochnie Persaud, shopper,
`For me, the market is ok just where it is because I live on this side of the road and it is hard for me to cross to go there. I am not a vendor but I prefer the market to be on this same side. I am afraid of the traffic. I already got knocked down on the road and I have a fractured back. I have to come out every Friday to collect my husband’s pension from the pay office. At the same time I would do my shopping.’
Ramchand Bachan, vendor,
`They build a market for us but it seems as though they built it for their own purpose. They want us to sell there and then they said we must remove the stalls when we’re finished. But there are a lot of ladies selling and they cannot fetch those heavy stalls. Some of the women are pregnant and are single parents. What they want people to do, go and thief or sell drugs or something? The spot is ok but I don’t think it is convenient at all. If they make it better I would go there. They did not even come and consult with us when they were making the tarmac. We didn’t even know what they were making; they just come suddenly and tell us that we have to move.’
Puran Samaroo, vendor,
`They make that tarmac and tell us that we have to go there. Then again they said we must move our stand when we finish selling. I asked them where the place is to put the stand and they said they don’t know about that. We have to pay $200 but I don’t mind paying more than that if they put in all the conveniences. The other concern I have is that the spots which they mark out for us is too small.
I have been selling here for over 20 years and I never had any problem.’
