Letter to the Editor: Supporting the Daily Removal of Vendor Structures
Dear Editor,
I write in full support of the St. John’s Development Corporation’s (SJDC) decision to enforce the mandatory daily removal of vendor structures from the streets of St. John’s City.
This is a necessary and timely measure that addresses growing concerns about sanitation, public safety, and the general appearance of our capital. For too long, abandoned vendor stalls, tents, and carts have cluttered sidewalks overnight, creating not only eyesores but also hazards for pedestrians and sanitation crews. It is unacceptable that our city’s cleanliness and health standards should be compromised due to the negligence of a few.
By requiring that all structures—including tents, tables, crates, and food vans—be cleared at the end of each business day, the SJDC is upholding its responsibility to ensure safe and sanitary public spaces for both residents and visitors. Vendors have a duty to contribute to this effort. After all, a clean and organized environment benefits everyone, including the vendors themselves, who operate in a more attractive and hygienic setting.
Those who fail to comply should indeed face consequences, including the removal of items at their own cost. We cannot allow non-compliance to derail efforts to modernize and maintain our city.
Let us embrace this initiative as a positive step forward. I commend the SJDC, the Solid Waste Management Authority, and the Central Board of Health for taking bold action to keep St. John’s City clean and welcoming.
Sincerely,
Antigua Surf
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Whilst I commend SJDC for finally taking a stand, at the same time I implore all governing bodies to begin being proactive rather than reactive.
For example, BEFORE permission is granted for structures be it a tray, a table and benches or a tent is put down to vendor from a written, signed and witnessed form should be part of the informal agreement that such structures be (a) within a certain size, (b) be removable and removed from point of sale at the end of each working day and (c) vendor be responsible for removing any and all rubbish and refuse emanating from said venture.
There should also be regular checks made for compliance and standard fees for ignoring same agreements. Should vendors repeatedly offend then they be issued with eviction notices and forcible removal if necessary.
We should all want to take pride in our city and neighbourhoods. We should also make vending a pleasant experience for both vendor and purchaser.
I don’t understand what the damn hesitating is all about the place looks unsightly, traffic is messed up, people can’t get proper parking, just find some rural area for them and get their asses out of the city streets, have the damn guts to do it and stop the pussyfooting
Some of them want to act like their in Ja making the place look ghetto like their home town ….they need to move them to a next location..town looks really bad
Vendors shouldn’t have a problem with these rules it away to keep the city streets clean.One thing that should’ve added was while the Vendors are standing at their stalls make sure that their surroundings are clean.
At the public market the only place vending should be taken place is inside the market. The only exception should be like time of old . The farmers come on Tuesdays , Fridays and Saturdays to sell in their pickups and designated areas. No one should be allowed to vendor outside the market otherwise.
Antigua is a lawless and indisciplined place. It is all about the holy X. Ruling politicians encourage this unsightly mess. And love to talk about ‘poor people’ have to live. We are all poor – just different levels of poor. We are poor but have more cars than roads. Poor but during Covid, the same number of vehicles were on the roads daily. Poor and hair and extensions are a multi-million dollar market in Antigua. Poor and the fetes are full every weekend.
Give me a break. Clean up the blasted country. I hope this is just the start. All the roadside vendors who are a traffic hazard must be next.
Antiguas street vendors struggle daily to make an honest living. Meanwhile, why is there so much unused space in the Market building. Government needs to study why the street vendors are still out on the streets and get them stalks inside the building. Is it feasible to hold an open street market on Sundays only? Close off a section below Market street to traffic every Sunday so that whoever has something to sell can come to town and make a dollar for their daily bread. All the shops are closed so there should be no contention. It would be a big plus for getting cruise ship passengers on shore on an otherwise barren Sunday. Monday to Saturday it’s Nutbush city limits – Keep the city clean!