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2017 has been a rough year – cry La Penitence vendors
As the year is ending, many businesses and organisations will gather to discuss their overall performance; the vendors, of the one of the oldest markets in the country, are no different.
The La Penitence Market
The market, which hosts over 100 vendors, has its main business day on Sunday, but sees a number of its occupants from both within the market itself and outside along the roadways indulging in vending throughout the week.
Kaieteur News visited these vendors to hear the views of the business economy throughout the year 2017.
A number of vendors all agreed that 2017 has been a very rough year. They explained that there were days that they were able to cope but as difficult as it sounds, the bad days outnumbered those.
According to a vendor whose only name was given as Gaitri; she has been vending at the market for over 16 years, she started at the market as a young woman selling vegetables and has now moved to a larger stall.
She said that this year has been a very rough year for her business and those around her. She further went on to state that one of the major challenges they faced is having to compete with her suppliers.
“It has gotten so bad that the people that we buy products from at wholesale prices, now get them own stand on Sundays at the same market and sell to the customers at wholesale prices also.”
She explained that at times, she herself would have to sell her produce at the cost price because she wants to get rid of them before spoilage occurs.
The market has seen many vendors come and go as the years go by, but there are those who stick around with the hope of seeing improvements despite their experiences over the years.
Among those persons is a woman known to her customers as Ms Lisa, she has been at the market for well over 36 years.
She stated that this year has been really slow and it has not improved.
“Business is not nice at all… it’s really bad…all year long… to me it seems like it is becoming worse.”
The vendors of the market were visited in February by the Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin who spoke to them about their views on the business environment.
During his visit he told them that “initiatives would be undertaken by the government to boost business.”
Despite the assurance, the situation remains the same thus far.
Many of the vendors are hoping that the coming new year, business will begin to flourish again.
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