Faced with eviction today, some Parika, East Bank Essequibo vendors, most of whom are women, are appealing to the authorities to re-consider their decision.
Several of the vendors, who have small stalls on the roadsides leading to the Parika Stelling, told Stabroek News yesterday that they have been told that if their stalls are on the road at 7am today, they would be taken away. It is their only means of livelihood, the vendors told this newspaper. They said a spot at the back of the Parika market, to which they are told they would have to move, is unsuitable.
They said that at a meeting with Minister of Local Government, Kellawan Lall held recently, the minister had charged the Regional authorities to find a suitable spot for the vendors. However, they said, last Friday, at a meeting they were bluntly told by Regional Chairman, Julius Faerber that they would have to move to the spot at the back of the market.
It is unsuitable, the women say. They said that no one goes to that area and since they sell mainly perishables, these would spoil. They said also there is no security. The issue of roadside vending has been occupying authorities for some time, and the vendors said that they had gone to the area identified but after finding it unsuitable, had moved out. They have had their stalls on the roadside broken down before. Over 20 vendors sell on the roadsides.
Dulpattie, 59, sells vegetables, provisions and “all kinds of things”. She said it is her only means of earning a living and she does not receive a pension or public assistance. It is all she knows, she says, recalling that some time back, she sold her greens at the Parika Stelling before being evicted. She said that her situation is dire and after being unable to afford to send her daughter to school “me carry she to Priya Manickchand”. She said that her daughter is now housed at the drop-in centre. “I does go and check she out. Me does go there once a month and when me go, she does want a raise and me doan get nothing to give she”, Dulpattie said.
She said that her goods are purchased mainly by passers-by: those on the way to Essequibo or the interior; and rarely by residents of the area. The elderly woman explained that most residents purchase their vegetables and provisions on a weekly basis at the Hydronie market and therefore do not buy anything during the week.
Frederick Russell inherited his clothing stall from his parents. He said they were at the back of the market for over five years and got no sales. He said he then took a decision to build movable racks to vend on the roadsides. These cost over $18,000 to build, he said. Russell said he supports his parents with his earnings.
Sumintra Jettoo, 53, sells bread and confectionary. She told this newspaper that this is what sends her youngest daughter to school. She has been vending for quite some time, she recalled. She said that after constantly being moved around by the authorities and being unable to earn much, her four oldest daughters had to “stop school”.
Some of the vendors did not want their names published as according to one woman, “them ah punish you more when they see this”. Sharon Singh, a farmer, who also sells at the Hydronie Market, said she does not sell out everything there. “What you gon do with the produce what nah done? It gon waste”, she questioned stating that they have been told to grow more but there are no markets.
Several of the women told this newspaper that they normally “throw box hand” to make ends meet and they are worried about what would happen this week. One woman, who was purchasing some items, said that she was a vendor at Parika but after being pushed around by the authorities countless times, she quit.
She said she was moved to the area where the vendors are now being told to move and got no sales there.
The women outlined several alternatives where they can ply their trade until the market is repaired. “We begging for the parapet until the finish the market”, said one woman. They said numerous promises had been made to repair the Parika market but to date, nothing has been done. “I ain’t know when they gon do that…that (is) what they gon we on all the time”, said one vendor.