– To resume vending today

A number of vendors picketed the Ministry of Communities Wednesday calling for Town Clerk Royston King to “go.”
Without any warning, King and his security officers descended on fruit and greens vendors plying their trade along Robb Street, between Alexander and Bourda Streets,on Tuesday and announced that “as of now” they would have to cease vending there, until further notice. The vendors were removed because of the unsanitary condition outside of Mike’s Pharmacy, which is in the area where they vend.
The visibly frustrated vendors want Minister Bulkan to intervene and remedy the situation.
They shouted: “We want justice! Royston King must go!”
“Who is going to replace our money? We have to pay farmer, pay bills and send our children to school….. I depend on selling for a living,” said Celina Fowler who has been vending at Bourda Market for over 13-years
Another vendor, Cyril Leacock, disclosed that the city council had placed a garbage compactor in front of Mike’s Pharmacy after City Hall discontinued the service of Cevons Waste Management.
With the pharmacy taking legal action to have the compacter removed, City Hall decided to remove the vendors.
With over $70,000 in losses and famers to pay, Sonia Seeta, a vendor for 15-years, explained that the decision was a “major setback.”
“All the produce I brought from Berbice spoil because the Council stop us from selling on Tuesday, now I lost over $70,000 and I got to pay the farmers,” she lamented.
The protest was led by Head of the Guyana Market Vendors Union, Eon Andrews, who said the Town Clerk was “ignorant” since he failed to inform the vendors of City Hall’s decision.
“We want to talk to a higher order than City Hall, since we had made several attempts to speak with him and he is always busy,” Andrews said.
According to Andrews, he wants the vendors to be compensated since they have lost millions of dollars from the two days of not being able to sell their produce.
Meanwhile, Minster Bulkan later met with Andrews and the vendors behind closed doors to discuss the issue.
King reportedly held a meeting with vendors during the protest,explaining to them that they can resume vending on Thursday. (Clestine Juan)