Jagdeo engages City vendors – says ‘we have heard their cries’

Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo and other top leaders of the Peoples Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) today during a ‘walk-about’ engaged scores of city market vendors who expressed concerns about various issues, including the unilateral move by City Hall and by extension, the APNU/AFC Government, to relocate them without any meaningful consultations.

According to Jagdeo, while his Party’s position is that the City needs to be cleaned and there is need to maintain order and decency, simultaneously, vendors should be allowed to ply their trade to sustain their livelihoods as many of them have various commitments which they must meet.

He noted the concern raised by many vendors that the temporary area where sellers have been relocated is in an atrocious state, adding that many of those persons who are forced to sell there are concerned about their future.

However, this morning’s ‘walk-about’ by the Opposition Leader and his team was not without some disruptions as a group of persons believed to be APNU/AFC activists seemed bent on disrupting vendors from raising genuine concerns with Mr Jagdeo and his team.

Jagdeo said that regardless of attempts by the group of “APNU activists” to prevent vendors from discussing their issues with him and his team, he heard their cries. “This attempt to disrupt and to bully the people will not deter us. We have not been deterred from fighting for this country and fighting for what is right for people,” he added.

“Nevertheless, I want to assure all those people who have encountered difficulties, the taxi drivers, the vendors, people who are plying their trade there, we heard their cry. Never mind that they could not raise them with me in an open fashion. Some of them did, some were not intimidated, we have heard them,” said the former President.