Region Six  Chairman Zulficar Mustapha, on Tuesday met with vendors of the soon to be commissioned Port Mourant Market, when several issues, including the high cost for building a stall, were ventilated. The meeting at the Port Mourant Community ground was attended by 100 vendors who are eagerly awaiting the opening of the $99M  marketplace.
At an earlier meeting, the Chairman had informed the sellers that Mohammed Sattaur is currently building model stalls for them.
The vendors were initially told that they would cost approximately $15,000 each.
However, following several disagreements, which included the misconception that the contractor who erected the market was responsible for the erection of stalls, the Chairman said that no contract was signed to build stalls.
‘It’s the responsibility of the vendors to construct their stalls’.
With reference to other markets around the country, Mustapha noted that vendors at those locations had to construct their selling  booths.
Following murmurs from the gathering , the Chairman informed them that letters will be issued to 1,500 applicants , and those who can afford to erect their stalls will be allowed to vend in the new market.
Following his suggestion, Community Relations Officer Faizal Jafferally, who had accompanied the Chairman, suggested that several vendors should come together and select a contractor who will do the job at a reasonable cost.
A contractor who was present, Mr. Mohabir, was identified and promised to erect the stalls at $9,000 each, which was accepted by all.
The vendors were told that they will be allowed to pay half of the required monthly rentals for a six-month period, so they may  recover a part of the cost of the stall.
Other issues raised were lighting and security.
The new market place , which is perhaps the largest in the country, in terms of vendor population , can accommodate 766 stalls, while the previous structure, which has been dismantled, had 450 booths .
The old market was replaced when an increased number of vendors saw make-shift stalls spilling over on both sides of the busy public road.