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No alternative spot offered for displaced Demico House vendors
Cleared Demico House area
Kaieteur News – Displaced vendors outside of Bank DIH Demico House, Stabroek, Georgetown on Monday said that no alternatives site has been provided for them to continue playing their trade.
High Court Judge, Navindra Singh recently ordered that the vendors be removed. The action was filed by Banks DIH Limited, which is the parent company for Demico House. The orders issued by Justice Singh were for two senor City Council officials to remove the vendors and their stands and structures and belongings from the pavement and surroundings outside the popular restaurant.
On Sunday, April 28, 2024 action was taken to clear the area as well as remove vendors and their structures from the area. According to one of the vendors, two trucks were present on the scene around 07:30am and efforts to remove stalls and other materials from the premise were in action.
The drains were also cleared and disposed by the workers. Furthermore, the vendors complied with the removal efforts as they were served two previous notices. In a statement from the Town Clerk, Ms. Candace Nelson, she told Kaieteur News that the previous notices were issued on April 8, 2024 and April 24, 2024. Notably, these notices were issued with immediate action, however no deadline was given.
Several vendors expressed their frustration and dismay as they claimed they were offered no alternative place to practice their trade. “Scratchy”, a vendor who runs a drinks business at the Demico House area stated that he had been a vendor at the Demico House area for 38 years. He further added that the removal has affected his livelihood and “he has a family and his pregnant wife he needs to provide for”.
Another vendor, who opted to remain anonymous, related to the Kaieteur News that he arrived at the Demico House area, during the cleanup around 7:30 am. He is the owner of a food business that he has been operating for 35 years which is completely mobile. Additionally, the man expressed his frustration to Kaieteur News, as he complained about the lack of involvement from the City Council to provide alternatives for disadvantaged vendors.
He further stated that he “made investments in his business that have gone down the drain because he has nowhere to sell his food anymore.” The man fathers 7 children who he provides for solely. On Sunday during the demolition exercise Nelson was present on the scene along with the City Engineer. The Town Clerk did not address the vendors directly. However, in a statement to the Kaieteur News, the Town Clerk addressed the matter of alternatives for the vendors. Ms. Nelson when asked if the City Council provided any alternatives for the vendors stated that “we are not in a position to provide places for them to vend, there isn’t space for all of them.” She added that she brought the matter up to the Mayor in a meeting, however there was no confirmed way forward with the vending matter.
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