PM Gonsalves displeased with handling of vendors’ situation

Some vendors who lost their tables and benches when they were removed from Bedford Street by Town Board on June 28 will be compensated for their loss.{{more}}

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves addressed the matter at a press conference on Tuesday, when he stated that he was not pleased with the way in which items were removed.

“Some of the vendors, they are not carrying out the agreement with the Town Board, that on the weekends, that you move your tables and benches from the sidewalk and some of them really are in a terrible condition,” Gonsalves said.

“But it has to be said that some of the tables and benches are in good condition, but what happened on the 28th, they took good and not so good tables which were there and they took them to the landfill because the people didn’t move them, but they didn’t give any consideration that the Saturday evening, in town, Saturday 27, it rained cats and dogs.”

The Prime Minister noted that vendors should have been reasonable and removed their tables and benches, especially since the Carnival weekend was approaching and that the Town Board had to clear the area. However, he opined that the Town Board should have exerted more care in their clearing, by taking away the unsightly and broken furniture and leaving behind the better pieces.

“I’ve spoken to Carl Williams about this; I’ve spoken to Julian Francis. He has direct responsibility for Town Board as Minister of State and there are some people we have to try and help, who lost their good tables and benches. I’m not talking about people who had a few rickety things in any case and throw them down and so on,” he said.

“I understand that it’s difficult work that the Town Board is doing there, but we have to have sensitivity to people’s concerns and we have to exercise authority with reasonableness and with care.”

Gonsalves took care to highlight that he was not denouncing the officers of the Town Board, but rather urging them to do their jobs well. He also took the opportunity to urge vendors using the side of the road to peddle their wares, to be more cooperative. (BK)