Vendor calls for extra day, hour at Scarborough market

A market vendor is calling on the Division of Food Production, Forestry and Fisheries to allow him and others an extra day to sell, and extend the time the Scarborough market is open by one hour.

On March 20, the division said in a press release that operations at the market will be adjusted to deal with the covid19 pandemic. The market will be closed on Sundays and Mondays and will be open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7am to 1pm and on Fridays and Saturdays from 5am to 4pm.

The division said the facility will be cleaned and sanitised every hour and disposable gloves will be given to customers who will also be asked to wash their hands at the entrances. Anyone with flu-like symptoms is being asked to stay at home or be denied entry into the market.

Lutchman Persad, a member of the vendors’ association, told Newsday on Monday the measures have their pros and their cons.

“One of the things we are looking at doing is having a conversation with the administrator to add on an extra day and an extra hour per day.”

He is asking that the market be open on Sundays again and open until 5pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

Although the market was closed on Easter Monday, Lutchman parked his vehicle outside hoping to see some of his produce.

“Because of the short time to sell out the stuff, you find that there would be remaining perishables on vendors’ hands that would not be good for the next opening day.

“We don’t know how long we would have to put up with covid19, so a little longer hour on the Friday, Saturday is something I would really like. I know they want everybody off the street by 6pm. So if they extend it to 5pm, by the time people shop and leave, by 6pm they should be off the road.”

Lutchman said that vendors and customers alike are doing all they can to prevent the spread of the virus.

“With the way this situation is right now, some of the customers tend to be tuned in to the daily updates coming from the Ministry of Health and the THA Health Division.

“Every vendor is making sure and wear masks because the market department has made it compulsory. Even customers are complying with wearing the masks. The market also has the necessary sanitisers for customers and vendors.”