By STACY MOORE Tuesday, August 18 2009

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Natasha Navas ...

SECURITY at the Chaguanas market with goods and produce being stolen were among the main concerns raised by scores of vendors.

They made their concerns known yesterday when Chaguanas Mayor Natasha Navas and a team of Corporation workers accompanied by police officers toured the market and its facilities.

The tour began at approximately 10 am and disgruntled vendors were given an opportunity to speak individually to the mayor about their encountered problems.

Most of the vendors indicated that they were not satisfied with the lack of security officers present at the market which resulted in their goods being stolen on a daily basis.

Vendors also said other complaints like the inadequate space alloted to vendors, sanitary conditions, poor ventilation, and faulty elevator, the separation of wholesale vendors from retail vendors and the removal of street vendors.

“It is ridiculous, that we don’t have proper security, and our booths are being tampered with all the time. People come and interfere with our goods and take things, and this have been going on for so long,” clothes vendor Rajti Hassranah explained.

Hassranah who has been occupying a stall at the upper level of the market for the past ten years also added that the deplorable condition of the ceiling was a health risk for both herself and other vendors.

“How could we work and feel comfortable under these conditions. How do they expect us to do an honest day’s work?” she said. Hassranah also stated that wholesale vendors and retail vendors should also be separated. “Regularise the wholesale vendors by giving them three days in a week to sell,” the vendor said.

Another vendor, Angela Rosaldo, who has been vending for the past eight years agreed that the stealing of goods was a norm that vendors often faced. “People come here and they steal our goods and every time we only have to spend money to buy new stuff. This is putting us in expense. And we have security officers on the compound. This is not right.” Rosaldo said.