Highway vendors:TTPS should fix their house first

Highway vendors say in the wake of so many recent police corruption scandals, the service should look into cleaning up their own house before preventing them from making an honest living.

On Wednesday at the police weekly briefing Road Safety Coordinator Brent Batson said they are working with the TTPS to have all highway vendors removed from the Churchill-Roosevelt and the Uriah Butler Highway heading south because it is hazardous.

At the Maritime roundabout in Barataria, today, Nicky Roopaul, 37, a pineapple vendor who has been plying his trade for the past 30 years said the situation was unfair and called on the authorities to provide a space for them to sell their produce.

“Why are they targeting us? We are not the ones committing the crime in this country. They are in uniform and committing crime and we are out here working hard and also contributing to our economy. What they want us to do… turn to crime too? I have been selling all my life with my mother and I don’t know anything else. I have five children and one goes to school in Tobago.    I have to provide for them. “When I don’t get my sales in the market I know for a fact people who use the highways always on the lookout for fast service, we are out here providing a service for the public, as you can see it is safe and convenient for customers,” Roopaul said.