Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development Norman Whittaker says committees will be set up countrywide to manage the market tarmacs built to curb roadside vending by June 1, after which all curb-side vendors must relocate.
Whittaker, accompanied by Region Five Chairman Bindrabhan Bisnauth, made this announcement at a function held at the Rosignol Neighbourhood Democratic Council on Friday. According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release, he told vendors plying their trade on the Rosignol embankment that they must comply with this order, as government continues to crackdown on this illegal practice.
Further, the minister said government is only prepared to listen to and support suggestions from the vendors that would achieve its objective of orderly vending with no resulting health or environmental implications. He also cautioned vendors who are adamant that they will not move, against being exploited by persons influencing them, under the pretext of wanting to assist them.
GINA said about 50 vendors have been conducting business in a disorganised manner along the Rosignol embankment, flouting numerous deadlines given to relocate to the market. The last deadline was April 30. The minister had embarked on the engagement with the sole aim of establishing May 30 as the new deadline for their removal. However, he said some vendors had alleged that they were compelled to vend on the embankment from Sunday to Friday because community members do not shop at the market until Saturday. “The vendors claimed that Saturday, is the prescribed market day and on that day all the stalls in the market are occupied and the market is busy,” GINA said.
Two officers were dispatched to investigate the claims and the minister had said he would wait on their report before making a ruling.
