Arima mayor won’t bow to illegal vendors

“People need to understand. that order. will be in Arima,” she. stated after meeting. with vendors, some of. whom had been occupying. spots illegally. on pavements alongside. the facility to sell. their produce.

A tough-talking. Morris-Julien told. Sunday Newsday that. vendors who persist in. disregarding the authority. of the council. will not get their way. in the market.

“They will not shout. me down into getting. their own way.

“I am just trying to. do the correct thing,”. she said.

She said for the. most part, the council. has clamped down on. illegal vending at the. facility,. Morris-Julien said. she received a rude. awakening, yesterday,. whilst hosting a Father’s. Day event at the. market.

“The council and. the mayor had a ‘soupque’. where we gave out. cow heel soup, corn. soup and fish broth to. show appreciation to. the fathers of Arima.

“But while we were. there, a few vendors. had a meeting. with members of the. Movement For Social. Justice (MSJ).

“They said it was a. protest but it was not. a protest.”. MSJ political leader. David Abdulah and. about a dozen other. members were present. at the meeting, she. said.

However, the mayor. said she did not. meet with the MSJ as. they were not the duly. elected representatives. for the constituency.

She claimed the. meeting was called by. vendors who were not. adhering to the rules. governing usage of the. facility. Morris-Julien. said she also learnt. that the law-abiding. vendors were being. threatened by their errant. counterparts.

“The people at the. back of the market, not. all of the people, they. have been calling the. MSJ consistently with. regards to the market. issue which does not. make any sense to me. because the MSJ is not. the elected officials.”. She said members. of the Market Vendors. Association also had. asked Fire Service officials. from the area. to attend the meeting. with the MSJ officials.

“They (Fire Service. officials) said we. (council) had enough. entrances and exits at. the market and that. we should open the. central gate, which. we did about a week. before they came,”. Morris-Julien said.

“But what happened. is that we have a few. vendors who are not. paying dues and depend. on placing their. goods along the pavement.”. Morris-Julien also. alleged that illegal. substances also were. being sold in the market.

“So, we are cracking. down on all illegal activities. in the market.

Over the past month,. there has not been any. illegal vending on the. pavement,” she said.

Acknowl edgi ng. the conditions in the. market were not ideal,. Morris-Julien assured. she was doing her. best.

“We deserve a new. market. We have had. the oldest market in. local government, yet. somehow we are not. on the priority listing,”. she said. “We had. asked for a few stalls. with their own awning. which we received because. that went out to. tender.

“I am happy about. that but the reality is. that it is not enough.

So, I really want a. brand new market.

But, in the meantime,. I have to work. with what I have.”. The mayor said vendors. must pay attention. to the rules of. the market, regarding. dress code, unruly. behaviour, storage of. produce and the paying. of dues.

Calls to Abdulah’s. cell phone for comment. went unanswered. yesterday.