Over fifty vendors this morning took to the streets protesting the dismantling of their stalls around the Stabroek Market area following the explosion outside the market yesterday morning which left one man dead and 19 injured.
Early this morning the vendors protested outside of the Ministry of Labour, Human Services &Social Security and vented their frustration at being placed on the bread line. The vendors then marched to the Ministry of Home Affairs on Brickdam where they once again made their voices heard before moving to the Mayor & City Council (M&CC) on Regent Street. They are currently standing in front of the council building demanding a meeting with Mayor Hamilton Green.
The vendors said last evening personnel from the M&CC instructed them to dismantle their stalls and remove them and in some instances the council workers also dismantled stalls. The vendors said they were under the impression that it was a temporary move but this morning when they returned to re-commence their vending they were greeted by police with guns who prevented them from setting up their stalls. The vendors complained that only some of them have been allotted spots in the Stelling View area known as ‘Donkey City’ and they are now constructing the stalls and need money to complete them. The vendors said that late last year they were told they would have to move but only some of them received stall spots in Stelling View evening though more than 300 persons applied.
And the vendors also took umbrage at Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee’s statement that the area is a haven for illegal activities. The vendors stressed that they do not encourage or facilitate illegal activities as their mission is to vend their items and make money to support their families.
Yesterday morning a grenade exploded in front of the Stabroek Market and it is believed that a man, yet to be identified but who was known as ‘American’, was killed. He is believed to have had the grenade in his possession at the time but it is not clear where he got the device from as while some say he was cleaning a stall when he found it others said he was sent to pick up the device.