Selling Charlotte Street vendors short

THE Port of Spain City Corporation’s new vending schedule for Charlotte Street ahead of Christmas suggests the lack of a long-term vision for these vendors in the capital city.

City Hall on December 11 approved a motion limiting trade to December 12-14, 17-24 and 27-31.

The corporation believes this arrangement is a gift.

In a statement, it said the move will result in a total of 20 vending days for the month and will provide an additional eight days "at no extra cost" to those already paying $1,500 in vending fees.

Furthermore, there will be ample time for "sanitation processes" to take place amid an ongoing, city-wide clean-up campaign.

"We appreciate the co-operation and dedication of all parties involved in making this initiative a success, ensuring a clean, vibrant and orderly Port of Spain during the holiday season," the council said.

But mayor Chinua Alleyne and his team are wrong.

The approach here feels fly-by-night, not "clean, vibrant and orderly."

Vending is a key part of TT’s culture. Yet officials sometimes treat it like a nuisance.

Doing market on Charlotte Street used to be, for many who grew up in the city, a rite of passage and routine.

But societal changes and increased crime and traffic have had a negative impact.

Now the new staggered dates bring fresh woes.

Vendors say they will have to fork out between $100 and $120 to pack and unpack stalls.

"It was already a rough year and now they’re adding strain," said Charron Daniels, a vendor at the street, this month.

However, the updated arrangements were put in place after a meeting between City Hall officials and representatives of the Charlotte Street Heritage Root Vendors Association on December 10. The association’s vice president Randy George, public relations officer Junior Lewis and member Shawn Mohammed attended that meeting.

Mr George approves of the current plan.

The mixed response notwithstanding, it’s clear that the wider backdrop to this issue is the deeper need for vending to be included as a strategic aspect of the capital city’s redevelopment, particularly in east Port of Spain.

Instead of sellers being merely tolerated, they should be incorporated into plans to make the city more than it currently is. All over the world, Christmas markets are a part of, if not a key feature of urban landscapes. It’s strange TT has not taken advantage of this.

The corporation itself has arguably been inching in this direction through its initiatives, such as last year’s Christmas in D Square open-air market at Woodford Square.

Vending is not just a matter of clusters of untidy stalls, which is how some officials seem to view it. It is also a neglected pathway to developing local economies.

It can provide employment, bring foot traffic into the capital, help enhance local identity and boost tourism.

For decades, vendors have provided consumers and workers in the city with an invaluable service, too.

Officials should be harvesting these rich possibilities, not fighting up with sellers every year.