“Christmas cancelled”– Linden vendors

…decry slow pace in holiday shopping

With just a few days left until Christmas, vendors and stallholders at Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) are complaining about the slow pace in business.
Some vendors have already declared it “the worst year” yet, noting that there is minimal holiday shopping this year, as opposed to the usual spike in economic activities associated with this time of the year. Guyana Times visited a number of vendors and stallholders along the Mackenzie Market area, considered the main shopping arena in the community, to have a first-hand look at the holiday shopping atmosphere.
“It’s like Christmas cancel or something this year. Nothing ain’t going on. People hardly shopping. Well, we hoping things pick up by weekend,” one vendor lamented.
Meanwhile, some are comparing the state of activities with that of last year, noting that while last year was slow also, it was far better than this year.
“Last year was better, a hundred per cent better. I would blame it on the President. He’s pressuring the business people in terms of expending. They’re not getting to expend due to the taxes. Businesspeople got to pay bills and the smaller ones are feeling it,” Curtis of Curtis Groceries and Greens Stand told this publication.
The entrepreneur, who has been in business for 25 years, stated that he was not optimistic about business next year, as he pointed out that the prices for some items such as apples which are popularly sold around this season have increased. He explained that he believed that it was a countrywide issue. The businessman said while it was customary for him to provide holiday hampers to his staff, this year he was sceptical since his business has declined by about 60 per cent.
“I think next year would be worse. Time like this I don’t frighten to invest in me shop, but right now I frighten. What I giving me workers them to carry home this season?” he worried.
Yet another vendor, Ronnel Mingo noted that the situation may be caused by limited spending power. “Look how the track clear,” she said, “Plenty people ain’t get ‘back’ pay and it’s the teachers who would usually give we a boost, but they ain’t get nothing this year. Just their flat salary. Like two years back, we would have been running to town three, four times to bring up goods, but not this year. We only hoping that it gets better because it’s just a couple more days left,” she said.
Joan Caesar of Chanzar’s Enterprise said business was moving along slowly, but she was optimistic that it would get better at the weekend.
Another vendor, Wendell, said he remained hopeful. “Time like this the place does ram. I’m hoping things pick up, because I buy plenty things and I glad for it sell out. But how much shopping people could do in one week?” he lamented. (Utamu Belle)