SOME Annandale Market vendors on the East Coast Demerara yesterday alleged that their stalls were demolished by a businessman in the area.

Sukdeo pointing to where his stall was after it was demolished

When this newspaper visited the market, they were complaining that the businessman broke several stalls down to make two entrances to his premises.

One woman, Bhagmonia Persaud, said she was selling at the market since 1964. She alleged that her stall, along with ten others, was demolished by the businessman.

“They break down the stalls and I can’t find the materials no where. Them taking bread out of people mouth because I now have to sell on the road corner and I can’t continue with that cause it is not right. We selling here for years now and he can’t want two entrances to he business” she complained.

Persaud said the situation is overbearing because she is not getting sales for her vegetables and fruits that are on the ground.

Another vendor informed this newspaper that the businessman never contacted the vendors about the removal of the stalls.

However, the businessman, who operates a wholesale beverage outlet, said he had several meetings with the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) and the vendors.

He said there was also a local government meeting and at that meeting the vendors were asked to relocate. He said the issue has been going on for about two months and the vendors refused to move.

He denied breaking the stalls and claimed that it was a beverage delivery truck that broke the stalls down.

Some of the stalls in front of the Businessman’s premises

“I did not break any stall; a truck came to my premises to deliver drinks and the stalls were in the way and the driver broke them down. I wrote the council on the issue and we had a local government meeting and the vendors were asked to remove. I don’t know where the problem is coming from. Now I have my business too and I need two entrances because it is a beverage bond and vehicles have to drive in to pick up and deliver. They (the vendors) are disturbing my business here” the businessman said. Anjad Sukdeo, another vendor, said a local government meeting was indeed held but only a few people turned up. He said he was never informed that he had to remove from his location.

Sukdeo said that an agreement was being made for the vendors to relocate to a section where the businessman has a stall, but he never gave up the stall so that the vendors can relocate.

“He cannot want to have two entrances to his business and a big stall in the market. If he remove his stall in the market and give us that area we will go there” said Sukdeo.

This newspaper was unable to contact an official at the Neighbourhood Democratic Council to verify whether the stallholders were given notices to relocate.