Vendors who ply their trade along New Market Street within the vicinity of the Georgetown Public Hospital say they are willing to relocate to a suitable location where they can continue earning and providing for their families.
The New Market Street vendors were Monday given a final notice by the Ministry of Public Works to remove all makeshift stalls, sheds, carts, caravans, or other receptacles used for vending.
“The Minister serve us a notice to move in seven days but he never invited us to a meeting. I am out here over 30 years,” one of the vendors Addie Adams told the News Room on Tuesday morning.
Earlier on Tuesday, the vendors staged a protest outside the Ministry of Public Works, Kingston office asking for a meeting with the subject minister Juan Edghill.
“All we are asking the minister for is let us sit down and talk. Is Christmas time, let us earn a dollar for we family,” Adams stated.
Adams told the News Room that the Georgetown Mayor and City Council regulated the area for them to vend and they have been paying a weekly fee of $1500.
“City council says they control the road and they normally come and collect a fee,” Adams explained while noting that vendors have been safely plying their trade.
In a statement, the government said at times ambulances and other emergency vehicles are impeded from entering and exiting the hospital smoothly.
On Monday, Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine placed himself in the way of a truck removing vendors on the road; he contended that the government’s removal notice is illegal.
The vendors are expected to meet with Minister Edghill later on Tuesday.
GPHC started writing letters in 2015 when the vendors set up because they likely thought with a Government and City Hall from the same party they would make headway. Alas…
However having said that……what do you do with the vendors? They cannot be pushed elsewhere and they obviously have a market if the man there for 30 years……so where to put them. Maybe the parking lot on East Street?