Guyana Market Vendors Union may be wasting their time

Dear Editor,

The executive of the Guyana Market Vendors Union (GMVU), which was recently launched, is completely wasting its time and energy and that of its wider membership (the vendors) as it seeks to obtain recognition by and to dialogue with the Town Clerk Royston King, who is just too egotistical to give them the light of day.The President of this union (GMVU), Eon Andrews was once a Councillor with the Georgetown Municipality.

At a meeting held recently at City Hall, where he met with more than 40 fruit and vegetable vendors from the Bourda Market area, the Town Clerk sent a clear message to the GMVU of his lack of interest in dealing with them by instructing the vendors to form a representative committee which would meet regularly with the City’s administration for bargaining and evaluation. At that meeting he declared that no one, including a union, could force City Hall to permit vending if it does not allow it. In fact he said, “No union can breach Market By-Laws, no union can breach the agreement we have and I want you to understand that.”

Before that, Royston King clearly stated that he was only willing to meet with the newly-formed Guyana Market Vendors Union, after it provides necessary documentation to verify its legitimacy. It is unbelievable that King, of all persons, would make such demands for legitimacy when there are so much unlawful activities occurring daily at City Hall. If that union does not become more proactive and militant, King will no doubt continue to brutalise the vendors as he has been doing to the “Parliament View Mall” occupants, the wholesale vendors on the Merriman’s Mall and the hairdressers, cosmetologists, tattoo artists and barbers that he rounded up and also placed on the Mall in most unhygienic conditions. They can’t beg him for a meeting. They have to take the type of action that will force him to recognise them and be inclined to bargain with them.

Sincerely,

Jermain Johnson