–in dealing with itinerant vendors this time of year

ON the one hand, Mayor Patricia Chase-Green has acknowledged that the City Constabulary has to do its job when battling itinerant vendors, but on the other hand, she has asked that the department show a “human face” to some of the vendors.

When asked how he plans to reconcile both requests from the Mayor, Chief Constable Andrew Foo, told the Guyana Chronicle on Monday: “I don’t wish to comment, but this is just difficult!” At the Council’s statutory meeting earlier in the afternoon, Chase-Green made reference to those vendors who are at the moment selling to make a dollar to send their children off to school. She referred to the period as “the peak season”.

And while she didn’t say it outright, she is all for the constabulary officers going easy at this time of year on those vendors she referred to; to just caution them when they see them selling “two ribbon or two socks”. She is of the opinion that it’s pointless making a case against these vendors, as when they reach before the courts, the matters are often dismissed. “Let’s put a human face to it,” she said.  At the same time, the mayor said the constabulary officers should not bend under the pressure of the vendors.

“People come to me with tears,” she said. “All I’m asking is to execute your job in a responsible way.”  She said the constabulary officers should warn the vendors that they are selling at an unsuitable location, as opposed to kicking down their stalls and destroying their items.  Just recently, the M&CC had said that come September and likely continuing through ‘the Christmas Season’, some Bourda Street vendors will be allowed to sell on the pavement on Regent Street, just in front of the Bourda Market.

According to M&CC’s Public Relations Officer, Debra Lewis, temporary stalls on the pavement will be constructed after consultation with the traffic department.