IT IS TIME for Barbadians to stop treating vendors like “nuisances”, says Minister of State in the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Empowerment, Innovation, Trade, Industry and Commerce, Patrick Todd.
Speaking recently at the BARVEN (Barbados Association of Retailers, Vendors and Entrepreneurs) temporary outdoor market in Cheapside, The City, Todd said: “I invite Barbadians to respect the important role played by the vending community. It is not fair for these persons to be marginalised in our society and treated as though they are nuisances.”
Todd described vendors as small business people and entrepreneurs whose work must be lauded.
“They have risked their limited resources to invest in these businesses to provide a legitimate source of income for themselves and their families.
“Not everyone in our country will be interested or able to get a job in the private or public sectors so the role of the microbusiness person in developing niches for income generation in our country is vital,” he said.
Todd then pledged Government’s support in developing such businesses and encouraged the buying public to do the same.
He also directed microbusiness persons to make use of grants available from the Business Development Unit in Reef Road, The City, and asked those who had applied for the grants but had not received them to be patient as processes involving “checks and balances” needed to be gone through before grants could be awarded. (CA)
