Dear Editor,
PASSING the Bourda Market on Wednesday, I was fortunate to witness members of the City Constabulary/Police breaking up vendors’ stands around the market. These are stalls that vendors occupy during the day, but at the time the vendors had already packed up and gone home. Later in the afternoon, a similar exercise was conducted at the Stabroek area, and police vehicles could be seen transporting the stands. Over the years, I’ve been objecting to vending on the roadside around the market areas because many started in the corners and eventually were extended to almost half of the road, causing major hindrances to the traffic.

Whilst the vendors are a great relief to many, they have been allowed to become lawless because they are not being monitored properly. This operation by the authorities at no time is right in my opinion. The vendors should have been consulted and given a chance, instead of causing unnecessary expense and possibilities exist that the vendors could be coaxed into create disturbances. We are seeing elements around the place just waiting for an excuse to coax people to create unrest and authorities should be wary of these actions and approach situations in a professional manner.

Editor, only recently the authorities indicated that steps would be taken to address stalls, abandoned vehicles etcetera on the roadside along the East Bank. With the amount of things happening around the country, waiting to see if the authorities will start addressing these issues, I came up nil and I’m wondering if it would be addressed.

Again, there are negative and positive sides as regards this situation, but again, the actions of many errant people causes others to be feeling the squeeze. In cases with some, there are many who abandon their stands and cause them to be safe havens for vagrants, criminals, etc. They also manifested into eyesores to the public, attracting garbage, etc. In some cases, active vending by vendors on the roadways also causes conflicts with neighbours, etcetera; and if not addressed properly, it could cause problems. Presently, there’s an ongoing feud that involves the police, the NDCs and the RDCs, but no one seems capable of addressing the situation even though laws are being broken daily. One caretaker family started by building a stand in the yard which was abandoned soon after and built a stand on the roadway.

Eventually, they constructed another huge stand on the other side on other people’s land. Not satisfied with that, a miniature stand is then put in front, along with a few chairs with plants.
This causes motorists to stop on the roadways or drive and park on the neighbour’s parapets. In addition, loud music playing from the wee hours in the morning until late at nights. Whilst they might be going about making a living, they are causing discomfort to others around.

Finally, editor, traversing around the Vreed-en-Hoop area, old stands and vehicles that were once used for vending could be seen abandoned around there. That area is very busy and the accumulation of these eyesores is very disgusting. Whilst the authorities are saying that they would be removed with a fine attached, they should embark on it so that many having similar intentions would be deterred. A while back, permission was given for roadside vending only to mobile stalls/stands, once they were on wheels. Eventually, many would remove the wheels, making them permanent, or some would erect permanent structures. Quite a lot are positioned is such a way, that pedestrians are forced to walk on the road, putting themselves in harm’s way. At Peter’s Hall, there’s a container covering the pavement and on the road. That container is there for quite a number of years and is not being removed. Will we be seeing a change to this madness?

Yours truly,
Sahadeo Bates