Responding to concerns from Queenstown residents about vending spots being situated at the entrances of properties, the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) says that the demarcation was done in error.
“Our floor plan does not have the marking to permit vending in front of residents’ entrances. It was a little error and we will be correcting it. These spots will not be sold,” Deputy Director of Solid Waste, Floyd Rawlins, told Stabroek News on Friday during a site visit.
The M&CC had announced plans to sell spots to vendors who wish to vend along the Mashramani route, which will begin at Carifesta Avenue, lead to Vlissingen road, then end at D’Urban Park.
The numbering of vending spaces in front of entrances was brought to the council’s attention in a letter to the editor, penned by Queenstown resident, Ryhaan Shah.
Shah, in her letter, pointed out that “This year, for the first time, the numbers have been slapped on every entrance and bridge to our Queenstown residences, which means that the vendors can effectively block the entrances to our homes for the entire day.”
Public Relations Officer of the M&CC, Debra Lewis, in response, on Friday assured that no one will be permitted to vend in front of entrances. “We respect the rights of residents and they should be able to freely exit and enter their residence,” Lewis said.
Stabroek News, during a drive along the Mashramani route, observed that Xs had been placed in front of many entrances. This, Rawlins said, was done to indicate to vendors the places they were not permitted to vend.
Following a site visit to Irving Street by city officials on Friday, Lewis said numbers painted in front of entrances along the Mashramani route were erased.
Further, the city spokeswoman told this newspaper that in order to ensure vendors comply with the restriction to not vend in front of private entryways, wardens will be placed on patrol.
According to Lewis, the council has undertaken the initiative to charge for vending in a bid to cover the cost of cleaning up the route after the celebrations. Lewis said the council had to foot the bill last year after the revelry of the Mashramani celebrations. She noted that they did not charge persons to vend along the route last year.
“The council is left to foot the bill after the festivities and it is along this line we are charging persons to vend. This money will help to cover the cleanup cost. We place garbage receptacles at points but it is not fully utilized by the revelers and we have a lot of garbage to clean up after,” Lewis explained.
