Vendors upset over door closure

VENDORS OPERATING in the High Street Mall and Market say they are outraged that they are being forced to work under unsafe and unhealthy conditions.
The vendors, who are located at the top of the two-storey mall and market, complained yesterday that since Monday the mall’s management had closed the front entrance of the building, leaving only the exit accessible.
One vendor, who requested anonymity, told the MIDWEEK NATION that she believed the entrance was closed because “the vendors from downstairs received notice that they had to leave earlier this year and some of them refused to”.
“We came to work on Monday and saw the front entrance closed off and only the back door open, which is a small and secluded entrance between four buildings.
“All we are saying is that we want the front door opened because right now we are working under unsafe conditions.
“If a fire starts at the back door, we can’t run into the fire. There is nowhere else to run, so we are going to burn up like the six girls [the victims of the Campus Trendz tragedy], and if there are customers in here, it is going to be 66 of us.
“And on top of that, the building is not being maintained, so the bathrooms are not cleaned and that stench is backing up and giving the vendors and their customers upstairs bad feelings,” the vendor said.
When asked if the vendors on the top floor of the building also received notice to vacate, the vendor said no, that it only applied to downstairs.
However, manager of markets in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Henderson Greaves, said he had no comment on the matter. He did say this, however: “Every time people want to flex their muscles they run to the media.
“Go back and ask those people who came to you if they were not informed in writing that they have to leave – and then come back to me and I will comment.” (AH)