PPP backpedals on roadside vending …calls on citizens to ignore, dump regulations

THE People’s Progressive Party (PPP) said it has considered reprehensible the actions of government, the Georgetown City Council and the Anna Regina Interim Management Committee (IMC) to regularise roadside vending, deeming this action hostile to the small man “whose daily bread is now being jeopardised unnecessarily.”
The party also called on citizens to dump and ignore calls for them to pay parking fees, calling this measure anti-people. While in government a few months ago, the PPP had supported all these measures and had backed the Carol Sooba-led M&CC administration, as well as the Anna Regina IMC in clearing vendors off the streets. Back in May 2014, the then Local Government and Regional Development Minister Norman Whittaker had gotten some vendors at the Anna Regina roadside to agree to move from the shoulders of the roadway to the market. Whittaker at a meeting with the vendors and other officials had declared that roadside vending is illegal and should not be tolerated. He noted at the meeting that the first quarter of 2014, the then government through his ministry had decided to move all vendors, along the roadsides throughout Guyana and place them at stalls in the markets. Insisting that the practice of roadside vending is illegal, Whittaker had said then that the administration has to fix “the unethical practices.” He added that the council should never accept money from vendors who are doing the wrong thing by selling on road shoulders and government reserves. He had said that in an effort to curb roadside vending, millions of dollars was invested in the past to construct tarmacs in all the regions.
However, in an about turn, the PPP in a statement on Tuesday said that roadside vendors provide a service to the growing city populace,many of whom are single parents who seek to eke out a living through vending. “The PPP supports regularisation of vending to be conducted in an orderly manner, however, the party is of the view that consultation and cooperation must be paramount in the search for a solution that is satisfactory to all the parties involved.”
The PPP added that any solution based on bullyism and force is unacceptable. “The “good life” that was promised to all Guyanese appears to be evaporating and turning into a nightmare and a stressful life for many. Taking bread out of the mouths of poor, helpless vendors, wherever they may be plying their wares is heartless and unconscionable for a government that rode to power on promises of a “good life” for all Guyanese,” the PPP added. The party said the administration “and its satraps at the IMC at Anna Regina, the Georgetown City Hall and elsewhere should withdraw their harsh and indefensible decision and allow the law-abiding and hardworking Guyanese vendors to continue their activities for the maintenance of their livelihoods.”
Further, Freedom House noted that “the reckless call for parking fees to be instituted at the Anna Regina Car Park should be thoroughly ignored and dumped forthwith. It makes absolutely no sense, since any fees of that kind will obviously be passed on to the Essequibo travelling public, including parents of hundreds of schoolchildren. Those who conjure up these anti-people measures need to have their heads examined and be taught to consider first the basic needs and interests of all working people.”

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