A stalemate continued yesterday between dislodged vendors and the Mayor & City Council (M&CC) as they failed to reach a compromise on relocation.
Visible despair was etched on the faces of the few vendors who gathered at the spot along Bourda Street that once was their place of business.
Several vendors along with rights activist Mark Benschop sought an explanation from Mayor Hamilton Green for the decision to break their stalls and to set out their demands for how to proceed in rectifying the situation.
Benschop was given an opportunity to speak with Town Clerk Royston King and challenged him to visit the site of the demolished stalls.
On the arrival of King, work to clear the bulk of the rubble continued, while he met with vendors at Bourda Street.
The vendors are asking to be placed in the vicinity but with their stalls further out on Bourda Street, where they were originally placed.
They also said they were willing to move to accommodate the demolition of the Bedford building.
In July, the M&CC had announced that it would temporarily relocate the vendors to accommodate the demolition of the dilapidated building that once housed the Bedford Methodist School. The site has been purchased by a businessman for development in the area.
King had said on Monday that the vendors received sufficient notice of 60 days to remove and that they refused to vacate the area and made no request for the assistance offered.
“Right now, I don’t have words to say anything more. I fed up,” said one vendor yesterday.
Another added that her fridge, television and cases of beers were damaged. No assurance or guarantee was given for the replacement or compensation of property lost or damaged.
King noted that some of the vendors lived at the location, which was unhealthy.
“All de time he didn’t know we livin’ out hay when dey use to come late nights to get we vote?” a livid vendor said.
While some vendors were resolute in their position to remain at the location, others recovered what remained and moved. A vendor packed her belongings and said she was heading back to Timehri.
Vendors said a meeting is scheduled for 10 am today at City Hall between the two sides but they refused to meet there because they are tired of all the talk and broken promises. Their representatives, Benschop, Denise Dey and Shellon Changle, said King needs to come out and meet with them.
Vendors yesterday were skeptical and reluctant to speak with those in authority because they believe they are insincere about helping them.
“Anything dey doing fuh we, got to be pun paper,” a vendor said.
“They disrupted our livelihood and bruk down we stall and now making provision for we,” another added.
When Stabroek News visited the proposed relocation site at Orange Walk, there were signs of preparation for the vendors. The drains were being cleaned. However, a car park was still there.
Meanwhile, M&CC spokesperson Debra Lewis yesterday said Mayor Green has called a meeting for Friday with all vendors operating in Georgetown. The meeting is to be held between 9am and 11am, during which time no vending will be permitted. All vendors are required to be present.
Lewis said the Mayor will address several major issues, including the standoff with the vendors of Bourda Street, ensuring that vendors are compliant with the city’s laws and making vending a viable tourist attraction through uniformity and regulation. This will also be an opportunity to involve the vendors in the green initiative to keep the city clean, Lewis added.
