A top official of the Roseau Market believes that a long term solution must be found to tackle the ticklish issue of roadside vending in Roseau.
Roseau Market Superintendent Julius Carbon also believes that an investigation must be carried out to ascertain the reason why licensed vegetable vendors opt to sell their produce on the city’s sidewalk instead of utilizing the Roseau Market.
“As I have said before, we have to look at the real issues,” Carbon told Dominica News Online. “And then see how we can deal with them and that is to ensure that the whole vending business can become more lucrative and that they can become more encouraged to remain at the market.”
Recently vendors in Roseau were told to get off the streets and move to the Roseau Market by January 31, because the matter has become a major headache.
Carbon believes the real reason why vendors use the street must be ascertain before the issue is tackled.
“We need to try to find out what are the real reasons why they choose to be out there and to see how we can address that,” stated.
He said this will assist in finding a permanent solution to the matter.
“It’s about looking for a long term solution as opposed to the quick fix of taking them out there and they spend six months not being there, and getting back there gradually and getting back to what it was and then having to take them off again,” Carbon noted.
Carbon also stated that “almost 100 percent” of those who vend on the street are licensed to use the market, which they normally do on the weekend.
He is also dismissing claims by some vendors that space is an issue in the market.
“There has never been and we will continue to improving and making space available,” Carbon said.
DOMINICAINS, Simple Solution, do not buy from the vendors who sell on the sidewalks, only buy from the vendors who sell at the markets..
Some people in D/ca do not obey the Law unless it is re-enforced. The reason they sell on the sidewalks during the week they make more money. Employees are around at these times, five days a week. Nevertheless, due to the sore sight they create and the annoyance of pedestrians having to utilize the roads which is unsafe for them, the vendors should be disallowed on the sidewalks.
Consider if vehicles get into an accident and plow into them, do they not feel unsafe selling on the sidewalks? It is also a safety issue for them and for pedestrians.
Mr. Carbon, you are the Law, the Boss. Issue stringent directives to the street vendors, informing them of their license which requires they utilize the market for selling their produce and failure to comply, they will be charged. No ifs and buts about it.
As a few suggested, cover the Roseau market to shield vendors from sun and rain so that they will feel comfortable for the hours that they spend there. This makes good sense.
There is always an Elephant in the room and people always trying to avoid it!!!
So sad to see they always give people position who cannot identify their Arsses from their Elbows,,,
The real Dilemma is the Haitians are taking over the sale of goods at the market and they have monopolized the concept by forming secret associations wherein they go into the Countryside and purchase produce in bulk as an association wherein they collectively purchase produce and then return to sell individually at the markets pushing out the local vendors whom are too selfish and greedy to come together collectively for all to enjoy the benefits of free trade,,,
Roseau is congested anyway…just look at the congestion today…. vehicles are packed everywhere…no place to pack….bus stops in the centre of town……tourists tripping over gutters….they cannot even admire the town without fear of being hit ….move the bus stops. ..close certain streets to traffic………..
It’s very obvious, the street is FREE. They have to pay at the market for a spot and there aren’t enough covered spaces at the market. . Besides that, they have their spot on the street and they don’t want to move. They definitely cause a problem for many people trying to pass on the sidewalks.
I am asking a simple question, why make laws when we have no intention to enforce them , but as Mr. carbon has stated, the situation should be look at carefully then the relevant or necessary action should be taken.
How can there be a problem? Those vendors are in the market on Saturdays. Why, because, most people go to the market to buy. During the week, not many people frequent the market, so the vendors are strategists. The y will sell their products where the people are. So carry out an investigation does not make sense. Carbon, you are my padna.
On another note. The vendors are selling poluted foods and and vegetables. Think of the carbon dioxide that these produce receive from the the passing vehicles.
Frankly, there should be no vending what so ever on the pavements – not food or other merchandise, except carnival Monday and Tuesday or other special ocassions when there are no vehicular traffic,.
It is very dangerous when pedestrains, must walk the streets because the pavements are blocked by vendors. Pedestrains are subjected abuse from vehicle drivers and vice versa. Shouldn’t our children be taught to walk on the pavements?
Educate the vendors to be in the market
I agree the government compels venders to pay for a license in order to sell agricultural produce is simply a matter of trying to raise revenue. That is wrong, the government is imposing on a bad situation. Selling in the market means the vendor is confined to limited exposure. Not every Dominican goes to the Market to buy a hand of Banana, nevertheless, on a street connor the vender is more exposed, hence the sale of products seems more certain.
What is so wrong with selling on the side of the street anyway? Every type of agricultural produce we grow in Dominica are soled in the grocery stores, here; in England, and Canada. However, there is the Farmers Market: that is a group of people who selects a parking lot, or some side street, over the weekend, mainly on Saturday, where sell their agricultural products. Why Dominica has to be different?
One of the point I wanted to make is that, only in places like Dominica, or the Caribbean such public markets are found.
As a matter of fact places like England and Canada and the US are the exceptions. There are places where there are centralized markets and still hold farmer’s style markets and mostly every place else has a formal, centralized market place. Stop using England and the United States as yard sticks for the rest of the whole wide world.
If it is against the law for them to be there, get them out and if needs be by force!! To you Carbon, you do not need to do an investigation into the matter, as I said before, if they are there illegally get them moved. It is your job to enforce the law, not to investigate whether a law needs changing and why these people break the law. So, get on with it…! A lot of people in DA think they can do whatever they want, because they believe the red party book will ultimately protect them!
To remove the fresh food vendors and have them replaced with clothes and other cheap Chinese stuff is an injustice against the poor, hardworking farmers who are struggling to make a living.
The spot outside Courts that was once occupied by the vegetable vendors now has a clothes stall, I thought one of the reasons for the eviction was to clear the sidewalks for pedestrians.
Roseau needs a clean-up but to discriminate against one set is criminal and unjust.
What carbon is saying makes perfect sense.first they have to find out what’s the problem
Please get the vendors off the sidewalk it is very dangerous for pedestrians to walk in the city. This is simple solutions – get them to sell in designated areas and stay off the sidewalk. With the number of vehicles in the city, it is hard to walk on the street. There must be some rules and regulation; it is really bad for tourists.
I don’t have a problem with the vendors by the roadside, the problem i have is the untidiness in the manner in which they set up.
put covering over the market so the vendors and their produce will be in the shad and more important the costumer will have a pleasant experience
Thank you! Dominican authorities act as if they have no access to the internet, or have never traveled outside of Dominica! There are so many simple solutions to this “problem!” If we only took pride and pretended these local spaces were for tourist use, we would suddenly have ingenious ideas on how to make our markets and sidewalks more attractive, functional, and accessible. Each vendor stall could be situated around the city and serve as information centers, phone charging stations, and either color-coded or labeled with the name of a historic landmark. Come on Dominica, is there NO creativity left on-island? Or is it true that all we can do is Talk??!!
The crux of this and any other municipal issue is enforcement. If traffic laws weren’t enforced folks would park on the bridges and block traffic all day. But they don’t because they know they’ll get a ticket or worse. Why is this situation any different? Are the vendors part of a local mafia? Or are they invisible to the…
Dominica has no law you all leader said it,country is corrupt and no law cant stop them.Keep selling on the roadside vendors.
I agree, that is unhygienic and blocks the side walk. It is also wrong that the sell you something like tomatoes and say it is a pound when they don’t weigh it at all.
There is enough room at the regular market but I suggest they put a cover on the open part too to keep off the rain and hot sun. But to be fair the vendors on the bayfront for the cruise ships should not be allowed to block the pavement either., forcing people to step into the road. Pavement is for pedestrians and not market stalls (…Lime, you reading this!?). The law should be equal for everyone, no exception.
The vendors believe that being on the streets will give them more visibility and hence more sales. I believe that to be contrary. If they cannot all fit in the Roseau Market, then there should probably be a solution to find another place where they can also set up other than the roadside.
The vendors need to abide by the city rules/ordinance or suffer the consequences. Fines should be implemented and levied for breaking the rules/laws. On the subject of laws, we also need to start enforcing our traffic laws and imposing and collecting fines where applicable.
One Love Dominicans and May God continue to Bless this Commonwealth of Dominica!!!
They should remove all vendors , including clothes and others stuff.
I totally agree, not only it’s not properly displayed and creates an eye sore (in the food world we eat with our eyes, if presentation is poor we move along ). It also creates safety issues side walks are clogged no where to run in an emergency . It,s going to take some brain storming, at least that’s how I see it. While a permanent location is being sort the authorities ( market board/city council )need to educate the vendors on safety, display of product and cleanliness of surrounding . Some of our people are very old fashion and they are not will to try something new . But educating Them frist will go a long way. Thank you
let’s save our sweet Dominica .
Enforcement! I am worried about being knocked down by a car outside of Courts, because you have to step off the sidewalk due to vending activities. Will not buy from a roadside vendor, and go to the market for my purchases. Buyers are just as responsible for this deplorable situation. Venders can make a good living in the market!
All you allow all that keep clear for KFC and then all you want to frustrate the hard working farmers with little space to sell their produce . allow the vendors to sell along certain streets rather than all over Roseau , designate two street sidewalk for them , Example from tobacco factory to lime , and NBD Hillsborough street to lime . For me as a working person with children , i am very happy at the end of the day to just pick up some produce by the road side rather than going to the supermarket or the market , it is much more convenient for me , so please find a way to keep them along the road side.
u forget ho for kfc man
Seriously, you do not know the reason they prefer the sidewalk to the market? Here’s a radical suggestion–they make more money there!!!
The problem isn’t street vendors, the problem is that Dominican authorities reflect no pride, vision, or strategic planning skills. How about providing visually attractive stalls, limit the numbers placed on each street, charge a slightly higher rate for them, and then ENFORCE the rules!!!
Its funny that ticketing street vendors in a small place like Roseau has proven so difficult, but a man can lose his job over a silly “crab-backs” issue & others have their homes searched by police on mere accusations!. Could it be the street vendor issue isn’t resolved because certain politicians do not want to be associated with ticketing vendors (voters) to ensure they retain their support?
Politics has truly ruined whatever chances of good governance there could be in this land! If we can’t solve these little problems what hope is there…
Yes. time .Keep the street clear for what it was made for.