IN ABOUT two weeks’ time, vendors who plied their trade on the Merriman Mall, between Orange Walk and Cummings Street in the City, will be permitted to return to their original spots, Town Clerk Royston King has informed.Vending was suspended at this location since early January, sparking outrage and protest actions from the affected sellers.

The City Council had justified its action by noting that the area in question was very untidy and was therefore inconsistent with its vision to make Georgetown ‘clean and green.’

On the sidelines of the City Council’s most recent statutory meeting, King told this newspaper that the suspended selling area would now be called the “Municipal Wholesale Depot.”

“Only wholesale business will be conducted at the moment. That facility was really for wholesalers, and we want to go back to the original plan and the original use of that particular area,” he offered.

The wholesale vendors who operate in this vicinity had been invited to a meeting with the Clerk of Markets, the Mayor, and the Town Clerk. It was agreed at that meeting that the area would be transformed so that it could be clean and attractive.

The vendors had reportedly agreed that all stalls would be of one colour and size for uniformity, and had asked about adequate lighting, toilet facilities and security.

King had urged vendors to comply with the decisions of council, while noting that although some persons may have suffered temporary inconvenience, the end result would be beneficial to all.

President David Granger had said that the vendors must be provided with suitable spaces to operate, but that the City Council must also be able to enforce the City’s by-laws. “The City Council has responsibilities; it has by-laws and regulations. I have been advised that the Town Clerk actually had meetings with the vendors, warnings were actually given months ago,” the President said.

The President urged the City Council to put in place arrangements to ensure that those displaced were given accommodation at appropriate locations to ply their trade. The vendors were subsequently granted permission to use another section of the Merriman Mall.

“There is a large vending population in Georgetown, and we must accept that. Some people prefer to buy from vendors, but vendors must conform to the laws. They must not leave debris and rubbish [scattered on the ground], and they must not go into prohibited areas. The City Council must provide areas for them, and they must abide by the municipality regulations,” the President said.