Mayor to meet with Kitty market vendors

Mar 19, 2019 News

Mayor of Georgetown Ubraj Narine is expected to meet with stallholders and vendors of the Kitty Market to discuss issues of concern to them.
Stallholders have been complaining about the significant increase in rent to occupy a space at the market. A few of them have returned to the market since it closed for construction, some three years ago.
However, while some vendors have started occupying spots in the market again; it does not come at a small fee. According to one stallholder, “The rent has been increased from $1000 to as much as $14,000 per month.”
They claim that the move is not consistent with the flow of consumer traffic at the market square.
“So, we have found ourselves in a conundrum, because we do not want to lose our stalls. But the fee attached is heavy and many people are finding it difficult to sustain their business in the face of the increase and low consumer support.
“We don’t have a big customer base flowing through the market, so we are not making that kind of money here.”
Commenting on the issue yesterday, Mayor Narine disclosed that he will meet the vendors to discuss the rent and other issues relating to occupying the market.
“We have to meet and discuss the matter and take it to the Council before any approval is given to decrease or increase the rent. The ball is not really in my court. Everything goes through the council.”
Meanwhile, stallholders have been complaining that they have to depend on other ventures to help them pay the rent.
“We love the environment at Kitty Market and we understand the need to increase the rent, but not by that amount.”
The stallholders claim that the newly rehabilitated spaces are much smaller than they are used to.
“Not only are we are paying a bigger rent, but the spaces are much smaller,” one vendor said.
Another vendor explained that in addition to the increased payments to the City Council – some vendors have been taxed a daily rental to vend on the road corners, and a monthly fee to safeguard stalls in the Kitty Market for its reopening.

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