President David Granger has called on the Georgetown Mayor & City Council to act in a more humane manner when dealing with vendors and says a suitable alternative location must be found before they are removed as they are conducting legitimate business.
“I would urge the City Council to deal with these issues in a humane manner, at the same time ensuring that before any move is made, any action is taken, there is an alternative,” President Granger said on his weekly pre-recorded Public Interest programme, which was broadcast last evening.
Last Tuesday afternoon, vendors were up in arms after they turned up to erect their stalls and found barricades manned by members of the city constabulary, who informed that they were not permitted to sell.
The council and the vendors have since reached a compromise and they have returned to their location.
Speaking specifically on the temporary removal of the Robb Street vendors, the President cautioned that the government does not attempt to micro-manage City Hall even though he has had recent engagements with city officials.
“We can’t move the vendors to nowhere, we must find a particular place to move them,” he asserted.
The President said while he is not saying that in every instance it is the state’s responsibility, as persons vend openly all over the country, tarmacs and other accommodation must be provided for vendors to conduct their legitimate business.
The President pointed out that during his inaugural address to the Georgetown city council, he had made it clear that the government views vending as a legitimate economic activity.
“I recommended that [for vending] a site be found with a roof so that the vendors could be given clean, sanitary, safe accommodation and customers would be able to access those places,“ the President said, when he was asked about the situation.
The Head of State said that even if it means building double-decker markets, vendors need to be assured of sanitary and safe premises, which is the policy of the government.
According to the agreement reached with the council, the vendors were instructed to have proper receptacles to dispose of their waste in an environmentally friendly manner; store their produce at least 3ft from the ground; and not to store fruits and vegetables on the ground or on old cloth or dirty materials for sale.
The vendors will also have to establish a committee of individuals to represent them and negotiate to improve their standards and also identify and appoint marshals from among themselves to assist with keeping the area clean and tidy at all times and also to prevent outsiders from breaching regulations and agreements.
