Angry vendors at the San Fernando Market are accusing officers of the San Fernando Municipal Police of accepting bribes from illegal street vendors to occupy the pavement along Mucarapo Street.
But not only allegations of corruption were revealed to San Fernando mayor Kazim Hosein yesterday, but the existence of a drug block near the market’s back entrance, which they fear will bring gun violence and robbery upon them.
Scores of vendors left their stalls filled with produce and threatened to lock the gates of the market, saying that the illegal vending has taken away their customers. Jaikaran Mahabir said it was unfair that bona-fide vendors were spending $45 monthly for each 40-by-4 foot stall they occupy while wholesalers were laying out produce on the pavement floor or in thier vehicles on the roadside.
Rosetta Jack said the washrooms that were being built years ago remained unfinished and in deplorable condition. She added that when rain came, the roof was "like a strainer".
Jaikaran said, “There are police officers who have their people selling outside on the streets and they say who can sell and who can’t sell. You know why? Because they (officers) are collecting money, and I know what I am saying. We have to pay $45 plus vat every month for one stall and nobody outside has the pay this and they are getting better accommodation than us.
“They are selling during market hours and they are affecting our sales. This also causes traffic jam outside there with two lanes of traffic because people are stopping right there and are making their market. Anything you can see inside the market, they sell it outside.”
Mahabir said when they complained to the market clerk, they was told to report it to the police. When they reported it to the police, he said they would be sent back to the market clerk. He said the only time officers come to the market was at 8 am daily to assist the market clerk in collecting dues. He said the lone female security officer station at the market was powerless to stop anything.
It’s just allegations
Both Hosein and ASP Heather Remy-Brathwaite said claims against the municipal police were just allegations. Hosein said he did not want to the “come down on the police concerning the allegations while Remy-Brathwaite said an officer who is off duty cannot be paid as an officer.
“As we said, those are allegations and you cannot pay officers who are not on duty so it is one of the next. We do not have the officers here at the moment, but strategies will be put in place to address the vending situation.
“We have security officers on duty at the central market and we will have meetings, and we will work on something to deal with that. We must remember that citizens also do have the option of calling the central police if the city police is not around,” Remy-Brathwaite said.
Hosein promised to have the toilets and roof repaired in three weeks time. However, he was warned by vendors that if this time lapses, they will lock the market gates and block the road in protest.