Anna Regina Market vendors complain of struggling economy

Come what may, rain or shine, vendors in the Anna Regina Market, Region Two (Pomeroon- Supenaam) remain optimistic that things will improve and that their lives will get better.

This belief motivates the many vendors to turn out daily even though they lament that business is not as profitable as in previous years.

Many of the businesses have faced challenges over the past few months, as the Anna Regina Town Council, in efforts to create a more conducive environment for vending, have dismantled stalls and displaced many vendors; however they continue to vend with their makeshift stalls.

A visit to the busy market on Friday revealed that business started later than usual, as it takes extra effort and time for the vendors to assemble their makeshift stalls before organising their items for sale.

According to vendor Savitree Persaud there are too many vendors and less customers. Persaud sells fruits and vegetables and explained that business for her is very slow and not profitable: “Nothing is happening, people not buying, things so slow, everyone think Friday money will roll but nothing selling, noting doing.”

Another clothes and food vendor Cora Coates explained that she was forced to merge two stalls into one in an effort to meet her needs; she also blamed the recent action of the council for her present hardship.

Coates also pointed out that business is very slow and blamed it, in part, on the struggling economy. She said that many persons continue to vend under the circumstances so that they can earn an honest living and provide for their family.

Another vendor Jenifer (only name given) who sells only on Fridays explained her business is very slow and attributed this to the struggling rice industry: “Imagine it is midday and nothing aint sell. I didn’t even sell $1500 yet, and I have to hire a car to go to the market; this year it really hard.”

Like other vendors, Maylene Nurse and a Ms Walcott said that their businesses are in trouble. Walcott related that she is exercising patience and hoping for this best. Nurse has been vending over 40 years and described this year as the slowest in terms of sales.

Many vendors blame the slow business on the sluggish rice industry. Many of them have called on government to stimulate the industry by offering some form of incentives/assistance to rice farmers so that the industry may continue to flourish and boost the Region Two economy.

Better price for rice farmers means more business for local investors, were the chorus of the vendors.