Vendors reluctant to participate in lottery for market spots

…as new marketing tarmac completed

Following the completion of a new marketing tarmac at Annandale, East Coast Demerara (ECD), vendors from the Lusignan marketplace and surrounding areas were on Wednesday invited to participate in a lottery for market spots at the new location. However, this paved the way for a new situation.

Vendors who showed up at the Lusignan Community Centre Ground (LCCG) on Wednesday morning expressed reluctance to participate in the lottery after being informed that they would not be allocated spots in the front section of the tarmac.
This new issue was disclosed by Chairman of the Mon Repos/La Reconnaissance Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), Ayube Mohammed during an interview on Wednesday with this publication. Only recently, the Chairman had made it public that vendors should comply with the respective authority, so as to make the relocation a much easier process.
Nevertheless, the Chairman has once again explained that these vendors are making matters worse for themselves by refusing to accept a vending spot early, “They refused to push their hands in the bag, but then some of them came back and they did draw the lot…because most of the spots are gone already” he stated.
Mohammed further explained that the new issue arrived since most of the merchants are in favour of the front section. However, according to him, the newly completed tarmac is sectioned to facilitate various vendors. He clarified that the specific area will house the clothing vendors.
“We were doing the lottery for spots at the Mon Repos tarmac, but there were some controversy this morning because everybody fighting for the front part. We have sectioned the tarmac but some of them wants to sell where the clothing vendor would be” Mohammed related.

In addition to this revelation, some vendors who ply their trade at the Lusignan market are contending that they were not informed of the lottery that was held. Shaheed Ahmad, one of the merchants, told Guyana times that he along with others were never informed of this activity.
“Up to last we sell at Lusignan…and we were not informed by no one that today was the lottery. I am very much disappointed for not being informed about this situation” Ahmad said.
Further expressing concerns over the new location, the worried vendor reiterated how unsafe the location is while adding that there is limited space for any business to be done as well as their vulnerability to significant losses.
“When you speak about that tarmac, it is in chaos. I agree that many people would want to sell in the front because that is the only safe part, it is very much dangerous. People will be robbed, they will not have places to park their vehicles and people would not take the chance to come in there and purchase from you wholesale…there are people around the tarmac area that advise the vendors to very much be careful in that area”, a concerned Ahmad stated.