– market vendors want issues addressed

LINDEN market vendors took the opportunity to voice their concerns as Government Ministers visited the town on Saturday in a public outreach event.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge and Minister of Communities Valerie Patterson did a walk-about in the market area before having one-on-one consultation with the residents in an effort to bring solutions to the number of problems they may be facing.
The vendors that are located on the Mackenzie wharf made known several concerns that are affecting their livelihoods. The vendors are concerned that the location of the wharf as well as the state of the facility is affecting the amount of patronage that is received. Poor lighting, leaking roofs, poor sanitation facilities and the design of the wharf were some of the concerns that were raised by the vendors.
“The customers can’t see what is inside the stall, so even if they want to buy they don’t know what is here,” posited one vendor.
In addition to this, the vendors complained of the municipality system being hypocritical as many of them were forced to operate their businesses on the wharf, but other persons are allowed to operate small pockets of businesses elsewhere, including street corners and as these are more accessible to the customers, their businesses are suffering. “We were forced in here, but others are allowed to sell out of here and they are enjoying the sales,” said another vendor.
Minister Carl Greenidge told the media that even though his portfolio does not include market re-organisation, he will be making recommendations on behalf of the vendors to the Minister of Local Government. “I will call upon the Minister of Local Government to make arrangements to prepare a revised plan of the market, which will take into account the concerns of the current vendors,” he said. According to Greenidge, even though the complaints are many, he did not come to solve everything in one day and has pledged to have continuous visits to the town even though his constituency is Region 6.
Housing woes
Minister Patterson said that the issues brought to her attention were those that were heard at the last two public days held in Linden since she took office. In addition to issues of land allocation and land title receipt, Minister Patterson told the media that the prices of lands were also an issue of concern. Residents who have commenced payment for lands complained about the prices increasing, even after initially being told one price. The minister said that this needs urgent attention as the prices of lands should not change after an agreement has been made. She is also in the process of having land prices reduced, so that they can become more affordable for low-income earners.
The minister has made known that there are currently no low-income lands available and has identified an area in Amelia’s Ward that can allow for 2000 allocations. The land however, is owned by Lands and Surveys and she will be persuading the entity to have that land transferred to the Ministry of Communities. “When those lands are transferred, we will now put in the infrastructure and by the end of the year we will be able to reach the demand,” she posited. The minister said that she is assiduously working to have persons granted houselots within three months after applying.
Scores of residents took the opportunity of the outreach to have consultations with the ministers and members of various organisations. Other issues that were raised were agriculture within the town, unemployment, water supply, business opportunities, etc. Member of Parliament Jermaine Figueira, who was also a coordinator of the outreach said that he is happy that government is bringing the service that was promised to the people by having these outreaches. “We are taking government to the people, so there are no longer ministers sitting in their offices and persons making appointments to see them. The ministers are going to the people; the MPs are going to the people and this is what service is, he said. This he described as commendable and promised that it is a continuous venture that will be done in Linden, since the town has been marginalised for 23 years.
Coordinator Sandra Adams said that the event is just a prelude to a bigger outreach that will be held in March, which will see the involvement of several other ministers. The outreach saw the presence of the afore-mentioned ministers, the regional MPs , the Regional Chairman, the Regional Health Committee, The Regional Education Committee, the Deputy Commander of ‘E’ Division, the Board of Directors from the Linden Hospital Complex, representatives from LUSCSI and GWI etc. (Vanessa Braithwaite)