The Mayor and City Council (M&CC) today reiterated that “no new vendors are permitted within the city”.
The M&CC in a statement said “it was recognised that new persons are applying to become vendors, while others seem to be taking advantage of the relocation situation”.
Mayor Patricia Chase-Green, in her announcements during Monday’s Statutory Meeting, informed Councilors that the Municipality had received numerous complaints from vendors about new persons occupying spots where they once vended before their relocation.
She said that new persons are also turning up to say that they want vending spots or that they “used to” vend. In other cases, persons were found to have more than one operation on the street and when relocated sought separate spots for each operation.
She pointed out, for example, that where some barbers, cosmetologists, and other groomers have been located on Merriman’s Mall, the Council’s registration noted 20 persons, but some 52 made claims. Some persons who had more than one station around the city were claiming separate spots.
She explained that if a hairdresser had five stations and three assistants, then all three come to register. “This is not fair,” she declared. “It is not the responsibility of the city to find shops or business locations for these persons.” She said, “While we (Council) would want to be sensitive and put a human face to it, it is still illegal and should not happen. If we have to find place for everyone we would not have money to manage the city.” The Clerk of Market was urged to convene meetings to address all the matters noted.
In a bid to clean and reorganise Georgetown, Town Clerk Royston King had stated that the wanton vending practices had to be brought under control. He said while the Council defended those very vendors when they were being evicted without alternate solutions, “it is time to seriously address the situation, with the aim of bringing as little difficulty to those affected.”
More than 130 roadside vendors were relocated to the recently opened Parliament View Mall on Hadfield and Lombard Streets, while others were placed at Merriman’s Mall. They will remain for three months.
