Stabroek vendors decry M&CC’s $5000 fine for “hanging goods”

…“they have a vendetta against us!”

By Ramona Luthi

While still coping with the disadvantage of being banned from displaying their items on the ground in front of their stalls, vendors operating outside the Stabroek Market are now faced with another hurdle, this time a hefty fine of $5000 and more imposed by the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC), for hanging goods on their stalls.

Vendors who spoke with Guyana Times on Tuesday described the fine as the “newest implementation to make our lives harder”, having to face the seizure of any goods found hanging on their stalls.
The vendors complained that they were not given any prior notice of the new fine and, as such, many of them had their goods confiscated by city officials.
One fruit vendor, who identified himself as “Tom Cruise”, complained that the new rule was another dent to his business as it restricted him from displaying what he had to offer his customers.
“Now you can’t display nothing. We got the oranges; you does hang up the oranges on the stand. People do want see things on display. People can’t know we got orange like this. They seize three bags of oranges the other day. Three bags. A bag a orange is $260. They want you pay $5000 to collect it back. I left it right deh. It ain’t mek sense,” he complained.
Another vendor called “Carol” said employees of the market office confiscated a total of 97 pairs of slippers from her stall, on three different occasions.
She said she felt suffocated while plying her trade since this was her only means of earning a living.
She said the new rule was enforced to spite vendors who speak out against the authoritarian behaviour of some city officials, particularly those managing the markets.
“Ninety-seven pairs of slippers they seize. I real fed up. I’m running out of options to sell here, man. We can’t do anything. We losing sale fast. We got bills to pay and they just doing this fuh take spite on me. They have a vendetta against us! Them same people just trying to bully we for their own gain,” the frustrated woman said.
Other vendors who ply their trade in front of the Stabroek Market called on the City Council to look into the matter and provide a solution whereby they would be allowed to earn a living without having to face unnecessary hassles.
When contacted, Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan said he had no information on the matter.
Early in May, despite opposition from vendors who ply their trade in the historic Stabroek Market Square, the M&CC moved in and dismantled some 130 stalls.
The Council had informed the vendors that they would be required to move and set up a temporary location south of Parliament Building on Hadfield Street for them. The Council said this move was part of its efforts to “clean up” the area and restore it to its former glory.