Police clamp down on doubles vendors

Doubles vendor Melissa Hosein serves her customers at Chase Village, Chaguanas on Saturday. - Vashti Singh
Doubles vendor Melissa Hosein serves her customers at Chase Village, Chaguanas on Saturday. - Vashti Singh

KELLY HOSEIN-RICHARDS, owner of the Curepe branch of D’Original Sauce Doubles is considering legal action against the state after her curbside service was shut down by police on Saturday.

Speaking with Sunday Newsday, Hosein-Richards said attorneys have reached out to her expressing their interest in pursuing the matter, which she and others described as discriminatory.

She said she adhered to all the rules and contacted the St Joseph Police Station prior to opening and was given the all clear as long as she stuck to the rules of curbside service, which she insisted she did.

Around 9.30 am she said two police officers ordered her to shut down as she was in breach of the law as part of the state’s fight against the covid-19 virus. All non-essential operations have been suspended until April 15 while restaurants are not allowed to have in house dining until April 30.

The 35-year-old said she has been in the doubles business all her life but this branch was opened in February last year. Her sister, who opened her branch at Chase Village operated in the same manner and was allowed to remain opened with police even assisting in directing traffic.

“This was embarrassing. We followed all the guidelines. I would not put my life or my workers and customers lives at risk. We took all the precautions. People called and placed their orders and they come and collect it. We operated just like the other food establishments. The customers were orderly and maintained a safe distance from each other.”

Contacted for comment on the issue, Police Commissioner Gary Griffith said his officers were not being discriminatory but were adhering to the policies set down by the Chief Medical Officer Dr Roshan Parasram that outlawed roadside vending.

He added that it was not only roadside vendors but also mobile vendors who allowed people to congregate to patronise their businesses.

Hosein-Richards said there were other roadside vendors which were open and she questioned why they were allowed to remain open while her business was closed. Griffith said anyone who sees any roadside vendors operating is free to contact the police at 555 or 482-GARY.

An online petition has been initiated to allow roadside vendors to operate just as other restaurants which offer curbside service.

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