Vendors at the Mon Repos market on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) are seeking more substantial compensation for losses suffered in Tuesday attack as they contend that the $100,000 grants being paid out by the government cannot offset the loss of their goods and produce.
Their losses occurred after a protest over the police killing of 23-year-old Quindon Bacchus of Golden Grove, ECD last Tuesday, grew out of control, resulting in robberies and damage to property, including the destruction of some of their stalls.
Stabroek News yesterday visited the market where just a few vendors could be observed plying their trade, while some were engaged in rebuilding their burnt-out stalls. Three vendors who spoke to this newspaper have estimated their losses to be just over $500,000 each.
One of the vendors, Ghansham Gyanchand, stated that the money being offered as compensation cannot make up for all the loss of his goods and produce, nor can it pay to rebuild the burnt and damaged stalls of other vendors.
“The government come yesterday morning [Thursday morning] and they just offer we 100 thousand dollah. 100 can’t even compensate we for the goods that we loss, all these things wuh deh hay [pointing to his vegetables] stuff like these things spoil up and these things are very expensive… from Monday to today [Friday], we mus’ ’e throw away over 500 thousand dollah and meen gat money fuh go back and fuh buy load fuh sell.”
Gyanchand also noted their market day is usually Saturday but he doubts many vendors will turn up to sell, since many of them live further up the East Coast and are still afraid to traverse the highway.
Sumin Biramthu, another vendor who was robbed during the height of the protest, said that she could not have proceeded with her plans to sell yesterday since she does not have the finance to repurchase her damaged goods.
“You see I come out today I can’t sell… we can’t do no business because we nah gat no money, I had $140,000 in meh purse all dah them gone with plus damage up we goods which is over $500,000. Today is load day and we can’t even buy back noting, we can’t traverse the road fuh go buy we goods… we just want back a lil business we need nuff help in this area.”
“Rememba we tek load from people that we does tek consignment, although them wuk out a percentage with we, we still can’t afford it, so now them going til town, weh them gon get better business because remember town people nah get affected and them can afford fuh buy back them goods… we gah children going to school some ah we is single parent and now we can’t afford nothing,” the distressed vendor lamented.
In wake of the protest, which left the vendors scared for their lives, calls are being made for sturdier security measures to be put in place within the vicinity of the market, since it is impossible to foresee the next tragedy.
“Nobody nah even went fuh protect we. We want security in the market all, after dah chaos and when we does deh out hay certain hour we nah know wah could happen, no propa security it nah gat in the market.”
Chandradai Mahadeo also argued that although they have raised the issue of accessing firearms, their pleas have fallen on deaf ears over the years. The man said that their applications for firearm licences are not even being acknowledged and he’s fearful that such chaos might occur again.
The vendors who are yet to receive their compensation said that they are currently being pushed around by persons who are responsible for distributing the cash and as such, their hopes of receiving any money were low.
Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud along with other government officials also visited a part of the market where they distributed 14 boxes containing 70 pounds of frozen Banga Mary fish provided by the Ministry of Agriculture.
Members of the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force, along with the Guyana Fire Service were yesterday seen patrolling and monitoring further up the East Coast at the junction of Golden Grove yesterday. (Aviso Paul)
