Some 12 vendors who vend along Saffon Street will be placed in the La Penitence Market to allow for road works in the area but vendors are not happy with the short period of time they were given to relocate.
Yesterday an official from the Ministry of Works told this newspaper that vendors have until tomorrow to clear out since road works in the area are set to begin on Thursday. Yesterday workers were present at the market area marking off the limits of where they were to operate.
The Clerk of Markets this newspaper learnt had indentified the fish pond in the market for the relocation of approximately 12 vendors and they have to construct their stalls and move in by tomorrow.
“What I’m saying that the money these people spend on these structures putting them in the market why the government don’t offer them to get a small business loan to rebuild,” Rodney McAllister who was at the market yesterday said.
One vendor was not so optimistic about moving into the market. She believes that if she goes there she will lose her clientele. Another vendor who gave her name as Bibi however said she is grateful for the accommodation, “I accept the piece where they give us in the market by the fish pond because they told us tomorrow [Sunday] after lunch they gun grade it down and we could start to build, but they just giving us a short time with this and we have to build a permanent.”
Most vendors said they have no problem with the move which is a temporary one, but are worried about the limited time they were given. “What I’m thinking about is compensation.
“A lot of people don’t have money; we have to go and build a stall… they put us in there and they not compensating us,” said another vendor who feels that not enough time was given for the move.
The move is to allow for the reconstruction of the Sussex Street Bridge. Vendors along Saffon Street are facing displacement following a decision to widen that stretch of road and return it to a two-way as a means of easing traffic congestion from the East Bank.
This decision was taken last October and although vendors have submitted a proposal for their relocation, the Mayor and City Council is still to act on that proposal.
