The city police should desist from seizing vendors’ perishables and focus more on keeping the minibus operators at the Stabroek Market parks in line, according to Mayor Patricia Chase-Green.
The mayor’s comments were made during Monday’s statutory council meeting, where she told Town Clerk Royston King that buses have been operating on the “hot plate” and the issue needs to be addressed immediately. “Hot plating” is where drivers load passengers outside of the line system that has been instituted at the park.
The mayor stressed that constables should be lenient with vendors who are selling perishables since they would often take the items on credit to make a living.
“I am totally against taking away perishables from vendors… allow the small man to make a living,” Chase-Green said.
Chase-Green pointed out that the ranks placed in the vicinity of the Stabroek Market square should ensure that buses join the line and engaged in fair trade. “You have buses trying to bore the line and spinning around and pick up passengers when you have others joining the line and waiting for passengers,” she noted.
She also opined that ranks be rotated to avoid inappropriate friendships between the officers and minibus operators. She explained that when the officers had first gone on site to ensure that buses comply with the new regulations, there had been uniformity and discipline but these characteristics are no longer being seen.
The mayor also said that she has observed that vendors seemed to be slowly creeping back into spots they once occupied at the Stabroek Market square.
The only vendors allowed to vend at the square are food vendors and they can only do so at nights.
After listening to the mayor’s concerns, King assured her that the issues would be addressed immediately.
