By Alva Solomon

SHE sat with the trunk of her car open as her eyes scoured the market’s landscape for the City Constables.Her aim yesterday was to raise $12,000 to offset her light bill expenses. She said, “I love meh government, yeah, but at least they should give we a chance.”

“Call me ‘Fluffy’,” she said. And like most Stabroek Market vendors, she, too, expressed grave concerns over the conduct of the current relocation exercise which has affected dozens of persons.
In that group are minibus operators and vendors who ply their trade in the market’s environs, including at the Stabroek Market Bazaar.
‘Fluffy’ sells food from her car on weekends and on holidays; and since food is always in demand, she said the turnover is reasonable. “It could feed a family,” she said. But the situation at the moment has left her with few options.

FINALIZING THE VENUE
She believes the entire relocation scenario could have been approached differently. She feels that the timeline was too short, given the large number of persons who sell in the area. Also, the venue could have been finalised prior to launching the exercise.
But according to the woman, the vendors themselves need to shoulder “some blame”. She noted that there are large numbers of “irresponsible” vendors, many of whom leave the environs of the market in a deplorable state after selling on a daily basis.
“All like me, when I finish, I pack everything; you won’t believe I went here,” she said. “Now, them have to pay for what them doing,” she said of the negligent vendors.

SHOCK
But as reality sinks in, ‘Fluffy’ sees a rough road ahead. And while she supports the current government, she readily admitted that the relocation plans came as a shock to her.

“It really shocked me! I got meh car; the bank; IPED,” Fluffy said, adding with a chuckle: “I like meh government; I hold on to meh government. “When me government win, I cried bitter tears; jump up and down and run with a flag.

She said in total, her monthly expenses are in the vicinity of $200,000. This also includes her mortgage fees. And she manages those expenses via her food business.

“I come here to sell today, just to raise meh light bill for tomorrow. I got water bill; I only work Sundays and holidays,” she said.

She explained that she budgets her expenses each month, by putting her priorities in order. “One week in a month I pay BM Soat for this car; another week I gon take money and say, ‘This is for the bank.’ And I got two more weeks for myself,” she explained.
At the end of the month, she utilises budgeted sums to replenish her food stock, as well as her utensils.

“When you selling out here, friend, you have to get yuh priorities right; and you can’t go and drink rum and partying,” ‘Fluffy’ said.

As the interview continued under the hot sun outside the Stabroek Market, ‘Fluffy’ reiterated her love for the government.
“I love them, yeah. I love Chase-Green, yeah, but man, at least she shouldn’t let all body pay,” she said. She noted that her love is such that she refuses to join those protesting the relocation exercise.

She said that restoration of the area is indeed a good idea, given the general outlook it would bring to the area. “But they need to think about people like me, what I must tell the bank next month?”, she asked.

Yesterday, ‘Fluffy’ said she was engaged in a ‘cat-and-mouse’ game, as she had to be constantly looking out for the City Constables. She said that earlier in the day, a City Constable told her to move. “I got to be putting meh thing back in the car, and open back when they gone,” she lamented.

SPEAK TO VENDORS
She is calling on the government, specifically President David Granger and Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, whom she described as grassroots people, to visit the area and speak to the vendors.
“I love them; I love my President. Watching at President Granger picture does reduce me to tears of joy, but I can’t believe this situation I find m’self in,” she added.

The relocation exercise has been met with opposition from the vendors, who initially appeared to have agreed to being relocated.

The move affects vendors who operate phone-card stands, fruits stalls, DVD and CD stands, as well mobile food vendors.

This week, the vendors’ concerns were relayed to the government when Head of the Political Division, Ministry of the Presidency, Frederick McWilfred met with several representatives of the vendors.

Yesterday, some vendors, including phone card and beverage sellers, stood alongside the market plying their trade.