Senior Reporter
kevon.felmine@guardian.co.tt
San Fernando Mayor Robert Parris has vowed to investigate after vendors at the Marabella Market lost earnings due to the sudden enforcement of a 1 pm Sunday closure.
Vendors yesterday said the market has traditionally closed later, and they are now petitioning the San Fernando City Corporation (SFCC) for extended Sunday hours from 4 am to 4 pm. Sunday is considered market day in the town, with vendors beginning to set up as early as 1 am.
The Marabella Market Vendors’ Association raised concerns after Municipal Police oversaw the early closure for the second consecutive Sunday yesterday. Official market hours are Monday to Thursday, 6 am-6 pm; Friday to Saturday, 4 am-8 pm; and Sunday, 4 am–1 pm.
However, vendors said for over five years, the watchman allowed them to close at their own discretion, often around 3 pm, without interference from the authorities.
Prince Biptah, the association’s PRO, said customers were being turned away as early as 12.45 pm. He said this meant vendors were now being left with huge amount of produce on their hands, which eventually will spoil.
“Last Sunday, some vendors lost significant earnings. A few even decided not to sell, saying they’d rather pursue other work. One told me, ‘Boy, I will go back and drive a truck. Better I go and do something else,” Biptah said.
He added that this could eventually lead to fewer vendors at the market, which would impact both trade and access to fresh food in the community.
The association plans to present a petition on the issue to the SFCC signed by approximately 1,000 vendors, customers and local business operators.
The vendors also highlighted the market’s dilapidated toilet facilities, noting broken doors that deny privacy, a missing sink and no running water, which they said adds to the daily challenges of operating in the market.
SFCC councillors Kern Ramdhin and Rooplal Samaroo expressed their support for the vendors’ call for extended Sunday hours. Samaroo said he has been advocating for improvements at the market for over two years, including better enforcement of rules for illegal vendors and improved facilities.
“The sudden enforcement led to tremendous losses for vendors who depend on this market for their livelihood. Staff have even closed the gate as early as 12.45 pm, which I believe is unlawful,” Samaroo said.
Parris said someone in the administration recently discovered that the Municipal Corporation Act and SFCC by-laws mandate a 1 pm Sunday closure.
“For years, the market closed around 3 pm, but no one enforced it. When councillor Samaroo brought this to my attention last week, I was surprised, as I had never heard of police shutting down the market at 1 pm in my 16 years as a councillor,” Parris said.
He noted that the council must follow by-laws but acknowledged the need for reasonable measures.
“You all cannot give people an expectation for all of these years and suddenly enforce the by-laws,” Parris said.
He promised to ensure vendors would be consulted and a meeting would be held on the issue of revising the regulations.
“I do not know whether it is some type of administrative sabotage, but I will get to the bottom of this,” the mayor added.
“We have a CEO who is the head of the administration. If people in administration cannot take instructions, I will continue to speak the truth to the public via the media, and I will embarrass the administration.”
