BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A male vendor who has been operating in the Basseterre Market for many years believes that complaints made by those plying their trade on the streets are being done out of greed and a way to deprive the authorities of revenue.
The vendor, who recently spoke to the media under condition of anonymity, said he does not understand why those street vendors are shying away from the market.
Over 200 stalls are in the market and the vendor is of the view that they are more than enough to accommodate all those who sell along the sidewalks.
Many vendors do not utilize the facility on a daily basis and as such the stalls remain vacant for four of the six days that the market is open for business.
This media house was told that vendors would only flock to the market on Mondays and Saturdays, which are peak days.
“The market opens every day but it is only used on Mondays when the Dominica people come in and some of the same locals on the streets would come in here when the Dominican people come and they would fit in here and sell,” the market vendor said.
He opined that many vendors do not want to use the facility because of the fee charged for each stall on a daily basis, even though it is a very small amount.
“It’s $2 per each stall per day and you have cleaners to clean up the market after you finish selling, but it seems as though they want everything free of cost.”
Controversy erupted recently when vendors who ply their trade along Delisle Street met police cones blocking them from selling adjacent to Courts Furniture and Appliances Store.
The vendors were unhappy with the move made by the authorities and they complained that it was done without consultation with them.
Many citizens and residents have been complaining about the flow of traffic and the hazards that come with street vending, especially by those using the sidewalks.
Persons using the sidewalks would often find themselves having to walk on roadways in order to avoid the congestion they would encounter.
“It should have happened a long time, because when you are on the streets and you use the streets for the vendors then you have to duck under umbrellas, you have to step off into the road in vehicles’ way and it is totally disgraceful,” the vendor said.
The middle-aged vendor explained that several years ago he was taken before the courts on two occasions and fined for vending on the government’s reserve. In one case he was on a private plot of land.
