Swallows vendors broken down – THA says permanent, up-to-code structures to come

THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine says there is a bigger plan for vendors along the roadway leading to the Pigeon Point Heritage Park after chaos erupted along the route on August 23 as police removed the ten vendors’ stalls and shops.

One local food and craft vendor, Bernadette Maxime, speaking with the media, said electoral representative Joel Sampson visited on August 22 and told them of the plans to remove them. They had already removed their goods by the time the authority came.

“Earlier in the week, the police passed and told us that they were coming to break down the places, but they didn’t tell us when. Mr Sampson came on Thursday and they said they are going to come and break down everybody. He said the only way they would not break us (down) is if we get a paper stating that we had received permission.

“So (as) we did not get the paper, we will have to move from here. So everybody have to move, because we didn’t get the paper, as we couldn’t get the paper to sign for us. So we have to break down our things.”

Maxime said she has been selling at that spot for over 30 years.

“I mind all my children here, my grandchildren, my great-grand, everybody. I now have children selling here, I have grandchildren selling here, my daughters-in-law and everybody. This is our living; this is what we live by.”

What next, she said, was the big question.

“Rent to pay, children to mind and so on. Now we have nothing to do, so I don’t know how we’re going to survive because we don’t know how long we can stay away from here selling, don’t know how we’re paying rent, how we sending the grandchildren to school.”

Another vendor, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “I don’t understand them. Like they want us to rob and kill.

“Is meat I went and buy for tomorrow – I looked on Facebook and see them demolishing things, so I had to run down here.

“Books have to come, food have to come, clothes have to come. How we getting that? Like we definitely have to rob and kill. You see why crime can’t done?

“Tobago is a tourism island, but like they’re more interested in creating criminals. We want to create tourism. They have nothing in place for tourism. We want peace, but like they want crime.”

Another said: “The commissioner (of police) and the minister (of National Security) said they have a handle on crime when they spoke to us during their recent visit, but this is how they putting a handle on crime? Allyuh coming by law-abiding citizens to have a sting operation and break down?”

THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine, addressing the issue mere hours later, said, “Through the area representative Mr Sampson, we have been consulting with the vendors in that area with the view of cleaning the area nicely and making the area much more suitable, ensuring that the area falls in line with all the health codes that we have so that for the visitors, for the locals - those of us who would patronise the businesses along that stretch that we are doing so safely.

“While they are being moved today, please be assured that there is a bigger plan that includes them, for which they are part of the planning and the consultation as we not only clean that area but we also ensure that they can vend safely, they can make a ton load of money in the area and they will be able to reap the benefits for generations to come.”

The designs and the plans, he said, have already been completed for the development of the waterfront, while URP has also been consulted for the construction of the units.

Newsday contacted Sampson, who said the police had told him the vendors would be removed from the area for illegal vending. He said he was told the area had begun to look “ad-hoc” so he visited on several occasions to notify the vendors.

“The police wanted to move them since last year, and I have been begging and pleading on their behalf, so hence the reason they weren’t removed previously.

“They wanted to come and bulldoze two days before Great Race (August 17) and I begged – I said this is the time when they would make their money, and I said the people here don’t trouble anybody, they don’t give any trouble, as they’re not doing anything illegal, they are just making an honest dollar.”

He said he was collecting a few tents and other items, which he had promised to the vendors so they could continue selling.

“I was told only the THA can put structures in place and allow them the permission to vend.

“We (the THA) would put something temporary for them as a result. I am now going to collect some tents and tables that they can use to ply their trade.

“So they would set it up on mornings and in the evening, they would just fold it up and store it away.”

He said more permanent structures would be erected in the not-too-distant future.

“I would drop off the items as promised. I always keep my word. As a good area representative, I try to assist my constituents to the best of my ability. I am a human being, I am not superhuman but I try my best.”

Senior Supt Rodhill Kirk said the illegal vendors were removed from the area as part of an anti-crime initiative.

“They are illegal vendors and in a lot of those areas, there are a lot of individuals (who) lime around there and peddle illegal drugs.

“So we want to nip these things in the bud. It may seem a bit harsh, but we have to start somewhere.

“We have the information, we have the intelligence, and we can no longer condone these activities around these areas.”

On August 12, Keith Scotland, Minister in the Ministry of National Security, was joined by Police Commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher in a walkabout in the Crown Point district. The two then toured police stations across the island. Both said they planned to visit several communities and put a dent in Tobago’s crime situation.