Downtown vendors opt to close up stalls

Charlotte Street vendors said they understand the need to suspend their businesses until the threat of covid19 potential spread is under control and intend to follow the advice of Ministry of Health and stay at home.

The Port of Spain City Corporation temporarily suspended street vending from 8 pm on Saturday.

Vice President of the Charlotte Street Vendors Association, Randy George, said there was a meeting with the corporation last week where public health officials said people congregating at their stalls would “cause a hazard.”

He said an official also offered the option of vendors plying their trade at the Central Market during that time. The vendors agreed to the suspension but opted not to go to the market.

George said they, as retailers, could not sell next to the market’s wholesalers and compete with their prices. He said the roadside market vendors had more goods, more variety, and many of the Charlotte Street vendors purchased items at the market in order to sell.

“We agreed with closing temporarily but no one in the association wants to go (to the Central Market). It makes no sense. It’s not fruitful so we’re taking our losses and going home.”

However, one provision vendor and farmer said he would return to the market after leaving it for Charlotte Street about five years ago. He believed the corporation’s offer to relocate them was “just ole talk” because there was no space in the market, especially with social distancing being practised, for all the street vendors.

One vendor questioned why they could not have been given another day to sell their perishable items.

“The Prime Minister ordered this partial lockdown thing from Sunday night. I don’t see why they couldn’t have given us that extra day. We not begging for much. What on earth we going to do with all this produce?”

Most of the others, however, said they would willingly close their tent flaps and stay at home because they did not want to put their customers or themselves at risk since people's lives were more important than money.