A petition to the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Lusignan Neighbourhood Democratic Council pleading for toilet facilities for vendors at the village’s market was rejected because it did not have their stall numbers.
However, irate vendors explained yesterday that their spots were not numbered, hence there were no stall numbers, and this is the responsibility of the IMC’s market committee.
The lack of toilet facilities for the vendors was raised in a letter to this newspaper by Sherlina Nageer of the People’s Parliament, which was published on Thursday.
Vendors said yesterday, during a visit by members of the People’s Parliament, political activists and the media, that they are forced to wait until they get to their homes at night to relieve themselves and that this is dangerous to their health, especially women who can develop urinary tract infections. Representatives from the People’s Parliament had filed the petition with the Lusignan IMC, but it was rejected by the chairman of the IMC, owing to the absence of stall numbers. The chairman of the IMC, which has been in operation since January this year, was not at the NDC office yesterday when this newspaper visited. Her staff stated that she did not have an office at the building because she was volunteering her services to the committee. They also said that the chairman visits once every month for meetings and a special meeting would need to be arranged in order for her to comment on the issue.
Overseer of the Lusignan IMC Bishan Tiwari said that they are trying to put facilities in place to address vendors’ needs but noted that he was “only the overseer.”
The Lusignan market is a vending place for about 120 vendors who travel from as far as Berbice and Canal Number One. The market is open from 6 am to 5 pm on Fridays.
As the meeting was ongoing vendors expressed their frustration and concerns as they hoped for the relevant authorities to address the issue.
One vendor said that he has been selling there for the past four years and no toilet facility was ever put in place.
He said, “I have been selling at this tarmac and from day one. [Former Local Government] Minister Kellawan Lall promise us and we still looking forward for a washroom facility… We have to bear it until we go home or beg some neighbor; me does walk with a saucepan and use it.”
For vendor, Pholwantie Basraj, who leaves her Canal Number One home at 4 am to sell at the market, no washroom facility makes it more uncomfortable for her to do what she does for a living. When this newspaper visited her at her stall yesterday, she said: “Me gah keep me pee in till 6 a clock when me go home … You can’t go nowhere here cause me nah know nobody hey and a ten year now me a sell here.”
She also said that she is forced to dismantle her stalls when she is finished selling for the day and it would be easier if officials can make provisions for vendors to leave their stalls after they are finished selling.
As members of the People’s Parliament spoke with the vendors some of them raised other issues that affected them. Vendor Donnette Baird spoke about the lack of stall numbering, which forces vendors to remember who they sell next to in order to remember their spots. She said, “when they come and collect money they don’t write no stall number. But the washroom facility is the major thing.”
When asked what she does when she needs to use the washroom, she said, “I does go over deh in da bush deh and pee.”
Another vendor, Carmen Persaud, also said that the two most important things for vendors are the washroom facility and the hassle of removing their stalls or paying persons to fetch it to someone’s home nearby for storage. “We does gah pay de Chiney to use their toilet if they cares, or we have to go beg people round here to use them washroom.” She also said that they have made numerous complaints to officials and she is tired of complaining.
Political activist, Fredrick Kissoon, was one of the persons present. Kissoon said it was callous that the vendors do not have washrooms.
The representatives from People’s Parliament then proceeded to the NDC office and Kissoon became incensed at the sight of a PPP/C elections poster with a picture of the president that stated “Vote PPP/C”.
He told the IMC members that it was unethical for them to have a political symbol posted in a public office that serves Guyanese of all races and political affiliations. He said while there was nothing wrong with having the president’s picture up, the “Vote PPP/C’’ should be removed.
