Final touches being added to New Vendors’ Mall - Griffith

Final touches being added to New Vendors’ Mall – Griffith

Aug 28, 2009 News

By Sharmain Cornette

The alluring New Vendors’ Mall

The New Vendors’ Mall, situated on Water Street in the city is now abuzz with activity, as customers venture into the once isolated vending area to make purchases.
In fact, the facility, which has been under construction since earlier this year has been transformed into an alluring site, accentuated with an intriguing façade that is stylishly fenced-off from unwanted intrusion.
According to Clerk of Markets, Schulder Griffith, there is a tentative commissioning date of September 12, but this will be dependent on contractors who are still in the process of completing several sections.
The municipality had decided in 2008 to improve the state of the mall, which was in a dilapidated state and had forced vendors assigned to its confines to head to the roadways to ply their trade.
It was disclosed by Griffith that although they met their rental obligations to the municipality, the vendors had preferred to utilise the pavement since they were convinced that the Mall (formerly the Toolsie Persaud Mall) was too remote and deplorable for customers to venture.
Vendors, according to Griffith, were approached with a proposal, which detailed plans of them having a more spacious environment, since they would be allowed to extend, creating a more comfortable and alluring surroundings for them to operate.
There was a proposal that the vendors could finance the necessary work on their stalls, a decision that was eventually unanimously accepted, although initially the idea met some opposition.
Officials anticipated that the works would have been completed by last December. However, the plans were brought to a temporary halt when some vendors filed an injunction against the municipality in fear of losing their livelihood. With the expansion of the stalls and the passageways it was observed that there would be limited accommodation for vendors.
At that time Deputy Clerk of Market, Errol Brisport, had disclosed that it was decided that persons who had paid their monthly rentals in full and those who owed for less than 12 months would be given first priority in the upgraded facility.
It was, however, subsequently decided by the council that the vendors’ level of priority should be further broken down into the category of those who pay and sell from the facility and those who pay and use the facility merely for storage.
The latter category was bestowed with secondary priority, thus prompting the retaliation of six vendors who, according to Mr Brisport, believed that their stalls would have been broken without their consent. However that matter was resolved through amicable discussions, which were spearheaded by Deputy Mayor Robert Williams.
As a result, the Mall was reduced to rubble January last. It was anticipated then that the facility would have been completed by March and then subsequently, in May, but with everything gradually falling into place the facility is now nearing completion.
On Wednesday some vendors were seen putting the final touches on their stalls.
Griffith noted that although the facility is almost at the standard anticipated, concerns about competition with roadside vendors have been raised by some of the Mall vendors. They are of the belief that the roadside vending activities will present an unfair competition with persons who are not required to pay a stall rental fee.
For this reason, the Clerk of Markets disclosed that his department would be working closely with the City Constabulary to rid the city of illegal vending activities. And this move, he said, will be carried out in phases, with the vicinity between Church Street and South Road being the first target areas. Those between Guyana Stores on Water Street and Kentucky Fried Chicken on Croal Street will also be cleared, Griffith assured.
In addition to its attractive frontal view, the mall is yet to have lighting fixtures put in place and Griffith revealed that the Engineer’s Department has plans to put in place designer bridges.
A total of 177 stallholders offering clothing, haberdashery, greens, groceries and fast food, will be accommodated at the facility when it is fully operational.
Municipal officials are optimistic that the rental of the stalls will serve to maintain the operation of the facility and contribute to the municipal revenue base at the same time.