Sanitary inspector orders closure of Port Mourant Market

A sanitary inspector on Tuesday afternoon ordered that the Port Mourant Market be closed and cleaned before reopening.

Both the exterior and interior of the market will have to be cleaned; the sanitary inspector also ordered that the interior walls be scrubbed in an effort to sanitise the facility.

The decision by the sanitary department has angered vendors who are said to have been experiencing reduced sales over the past two months.

This, they claimed, is on account of other vendors who operate outside the market on Friday nights and retail vegetables at wholesale prices.

Meanwhile, a standoff between the Port Mourant/Johns Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) Overseer and cleaners attached to the Port Mourant Market has resulted in the market not being cleaned. Huge piles of garbage, including carcasses, were not removed from inside and outside of the market.

The situation has resulted in some residents in the area temporally moving out. Sanitation workers have not been able to remove the waste, which has been left by fish vendors and other huskers who utilise the facility on Friday and Saturday.

According to a source close to the market, the six cleaners have been requesting to have equipment to work with for the past four weeks and have been told that funds were not available to purchase rakes.

Some of the workers have been using their personal tools to clean the market. According to the source, one of the workers had to purchase a bucket so that the toilet could be flushed after vendors use it.

On Saturday, the workers were allegedly asked whether they wanted their August salaries, which they were still to collect, or tools since money was not available for both.

According to the source, the workers were only requesting hand rakes which cost $2000 each.

Meanwhile, the stench in the area has forced many persons to relocate. Richie Ramdehol says the current situation is making it uncomfortable for residents.

Villagers say a few weeks ago a similar situation existed which resulted in the Port Mourant NIS office being closed for two days.

Angela Newinkurk, a caretaker for a church next to the Market, said the stench has affected church attendance on Sundays.

Meanwhile, the NDC has been collecting $10,000 from vendors weekly for the use of the sanitary facility. That money should be used for the welfare of the market.