Vreed–en-Hoop roadside vendors yesterday bemoaned the dismantling of their stalls and complained that the action by the authorities had threatened their livelihood.
The need for the unhindered movement of vehicles and the safety of motorists are the reasons for the demolition of the vendors’ stalls, this newspaper was told.
During a brief interview with Stabroek News, Julius Faerber, Regional Chairman of Region Three, said that motorists are now in a better position to traverse without any hindrance.
According to him, vending along the roadway is a sore issue with motorists complaining of the danger to them.
This newspaper was told that vending along the roadway is prohibited but during the festive season the authorities were lenient to some extent and the vendors were given permission to sell there.
Faerber explained, however, that the vendors were notified that they were required to remove after the holidays but they refused to do so.
The regional chairman added that a week’s notice was given to the vendors and they were informed that the stalls would be relocated along a tarmac in the Pouderoyen area.
“We are going to place them at a tarmac which is very safe and at the same time convenient.”
Faerber highlighted that there are facilities built for the convenience of the vendors. “We have instituted pure water supply so that they can have water available on a 24 hours basis.”
Stabroek News was told that there would be a cost attached to the area where the vendors would be relocated. According to the regional chairman, the cost would vary based on the size allocated to each vendor. One of the major disadvantages of roadside vending, Faerber highlighted, is the dumping of garbage along the roadway, adding that it is hazardous for the environment.
There are three tarmac areas allocated for vendors in Region Three: Patentia, De Willem and Pouderoyen but vendors refused to occupy the areas. Faerber however stressed that the regional administration will continue to work with the NDCs to rid the region of roadside vending.
When Stabroek News visited the Vreed-en-Hoop area, several vendors were in a state of dismay and were pleading with the authorities to reconsider their decision while others said that they were given very short notice and were not able to put any preparations in place.
Singh (the only name given) a grocery vendor, who has been vending for several months along the roadside, said that they were given notice informing them that they had to remove from the area but he was “very discouraged” about the area to which their stalls would be relocated. The man said he came early yesterday morning to hawk for customers when he discovered that all the stalls along the roadside were demolished.
Singh explained that the stalls would be relocated in Pouderoyen, an area, according to him, that is not suitable for commerce.
“We vendors are really going to suffer. People travelling from Parika and Leonora not going to want to go so far to shop. Just looking at the passage (transportation cost) going to discourage them. I can’t see why they want to take us from a commerce area where we can do business to an area where we gonna suffer greatly.”
According to the man, the hours of operation where the stalls would be relocated are said to commence at 6:00 am and end at 6:00 pm.
“The place where they putting us is a playground… so we gotta to close down we stalls every day at 6:00pm…because the area is used by the people in the village to play football and so. They does even use it to keep dance.”
A clothing vendor (whose name was not given) said angrily that she was told about a week ago that there were plans for them to remove from the area.
She explained that she has four minor children to maintain and business was favourable during the period she vended there. “Dey tell we that we gotta pay $300 a day to rent the place at Pouderoyen… Imagine if you ain’t sell for that day, you still gotta pay… Even if they de mark a line that we can’t pass to vend along the road we ain’t mind, me ain’t even get a problem to pay rent when me selling along the road…I know we going to be at a major disadvantage because the area does bring in money but now they sending we behind god back to hunt for money…”
