The Annandale/Riverstown Neigh-bourhood Democratic Council in Region Two cannot be excused for the disarray in the Suddie Market area which falls under its control, because of its failure to deal with vendors there. Vending is done twice a week on Wednesdays and Sundays, with the latter day hardly passing without ugly incidents taking place that cannot be controlled by a lone male market constable who eventually would have to call the police to intervene.
The council has created a problem by allowing a number of persons with ‘eyesore’ stalls to sell outside the fenced market along the nearby roadway entrance. But when some vendors, especially on Sundays, display their goods (not for consumption) for a few hours without even a makeshift shed and without any encumbrance whatsoever in the same area but much closer to the market, the council objects on the grounds that it is a breach of the law. Some vendors with stationary vehicles outside were targeted as well for removal while others doing likewise including a bread van were allowed to remain.
The move by the council was vehemently resisted by the affected vendors who contended that it was glaringly discriminatory and unfair and the selective system was really bad and could not work. The market constable has always been quick to summon the police when his instructions were not carried out and on one occasion I had to openly voice my protest against a high-handed and barefaced injustice being perpetrated for failing to take the same action against others who were guilty of the same offence.
The council is conducting its affairs in a very irresponsible manner and all that is necessary to solve this problem once and for all is to ensure that what goes for one must go for all. Despite not being a vendor, I have made an official complaint about the anomaly created by the council to the Minister of Local Government for corrective measures to be taken.
Yours faithfully,
Baliram Persaud
