A stealthy move to demolish several stalls on Bourda Street early yesterday morning saw the standoff between vendors in the area and the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) reach tipping point, with the sellers forming a human barricade to prevent the completion of the job and later protesting outside the Ministry of the Presidency.
This eruption has been brewing for two months since the announcement on July 22 by the M&CC that it would temporarily relocate the vendors to accommodate the demolition of the dilapidated building that once housed the Bedford Methodist School. The site has been purchased by a businessman for development in the area.
Vendors were subsequently served with notices which stated that they must remove from the Bourda Street location and relocate to Orange Walk between Regent and Robb streets. They were given a deadline of September 3 at 4.30 pm, with the promise of assistance to facilitate their removal.
Yesterday vendors vented their disappointment that the assistance promised to move their stalls was not fulfilled but that they were instead broken. They were dismayed that their stalls were demolished at 5 am without their presence.
“They seh deh going to help we move but dem come 5 a clack in de marning and break down we stalls. Duh is de assistance deh giving we. Duh is all wuh Hammy know fuh do. Bruk down,” one vendor said.
Vendors quickly mobilised when a vigilant colleague called and raised an alarm of the destruction of the stalls. When Stabroek News arrived at the scene, tensions were high. Vendors were unyielding and vocal in their protest to not move. They held hands and formed a human barricade to prevent any further demolition.
“We ain’t moving from hay,” one vendor said.
“Dey affa lock up all ah we,” another added.
Many lamented over their losses.
“Council gaffa fuh pay we back cause we wasn’t here when it was broken,” a vendor shouted.
A member of the demolition team was heard telling a vendor, “You had enough time to move,” and in an instant scores of fuming women swarmed the man.
“We ain’t had enough time fuh nothing to move,” one shouted.
Speaking to Stabroek News, Town Clerk Royston King said that the vendors received sufficient notice of 60 days to remove. The M&CC took into consideration the livelihood and safety of the vendors, he said, adding that the Orange Walk location is more lucrative and prepared to accommodate the stall holders whenever they are ready.
Responding to the allegation that no assistance was offered by the M&CC, he stated that the vendors refused to vacate the area and made no request for the assistance offered.
King pointed to two factors that made it imperative that the vendors move: the compromising of the drainage system and the unstable ruined building that poses a public health and safety hazard.
King said the removal of the stalls at 5 am was because it was convenient for engineers and there was nothing clandestine in the move. He further made the point that the vendors were permitted to work at the location to make a livelihood and the relocation would ensure that they continued making a livelihood.
The unsightly scene of rubble mingled with products lined Bourda Street as workers of the council made efforts to load the wood from the broken stalls into trucks.
Soon, social activist Mark Benschop arrived pledging solidarity with the vendors, who complained that their properties were illegally damaged.
Later yesterday, several vendors gathered in front of the Ministry of the Presidency to seek an audience with someone that would listen to their plight. Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo took some time to listen to their concerns and then instructed Director of Information for the Office of the Prime Minister Imran Khan to have a meeting with the vendors for a comprehensive grasp of the situation, so he can offer assistance.
Benschop along with two vendors, Denise Dey and Shellon Changlee, represented the vendors at the meeting with Khan.
