By Claudia Gardner & Oneika Campbell, Gleaner Writers HANOVER:
IRATE PLACARD-bearing vendors marched to the Hanover Parish Council building in Lucea on Friday morning, the second day of protest sparked by the destruction of their stalls by the Hanover Parish Council.
On Wednesday morning, the Hanover Parish Council smashed 10 wooden stalls at the proposed Lucea Transport Centre in what, they said, was another attempt to rid the area of illegal vending.
The vendors, however, claimed that the Hanover Parish Council had not provided suitable alternative venue for them to peddle their wares, as the recommended Cleveland Standhope Market was too filthy.
One vendor Pamela Armstrong, said that she came on Wednesday to find her stall smashed.
TEMPORARY
"They put us here from November, when they moved us off the streetside. They said it would be temporary and they served us notice two weeks ago," she said.
"They told us that when they are going to move us, they would clean up the market so we can go in. Yet, dem come and mash up all the stalls and dash dem wey and sey wi should go in the market. Every week Parish Council come wid dem book and collect $100 from wi. On Wednesday before morning, dem come and mash up the same stall wey dem a collect wi $100 fa."
Another vendor, who gave her name as Joy, was adamant that the market was not fit to sell edibles in.
"People live in the market". I have never seen a market with the four sides close. The air vent is one foot six inch and the four sides are sealed.
Another woman, Louise who has been selling in the market for 15 years said she was ashamed.
"Me sell vegetables in here and it is terrible. The market should a lock up until it put good", she declared.
When The Gleaner contacted Councillor Winston Stair of the Lucea Division, he said that he had no knowledge of the vendors removal, and expressed dissatisfaction at the market which he said was just too filthy and hot.
"Everybody is suppose to know my position on the market", he said. I would never tell any vendor to go in there to sell. It is unthinkable! The market situation is a deep rooted one. It is too hot and too small and it has a sewage problem which cannot be corrected. The market should be removed," he reiterated.
NO PLANS MADE
Secretary manager of the Hanover Parish Council Alfred Graham said that there had been no plans made by the Hanover Parish Council to make alternative arrangement for the vendors.
"We have not been in discussion with these persons," he said. "We are in the process of reclaiming that area for development."
Mr. Graham admitted that during the Christmas season the council was approached by the vendors for permission to vend in the area.
"The council relented, but told them that on January 1 they would have to move. January came and they were still there. Others joined and started to come and build shacks. Notices were served on them and have expired two weeks now. We are going to continue with another phase of the work and they just have to make way for the development of the area," he said.
He said that the reclaimed area would now be used as a car park, as the Hanover Parish Council had sourced some internal funds to get the area ready for business by the end of this month.
