Nassau, The Bahamas – Roadside vendors who hawk their wares to drivers passing on East Street South and other corridors in the New Providence Road Improvement Project (NPRIP) are being asked to relocate.
Vendors along the routes of East Street, Baillou Hill Road, Market Street, Prince Charles Drive and Robinson Road have been notified and requested to relocate. Charlene Collie-Harris engineer and public relations officer for the NPRIP said to date vendors on East Street have been cooperative.
“We’ve asked them to come into the Central Services Department as this unit is responsible for issuing vendor permits. We’ve offered them points of relocation and in some instances we’ve assisted them with relocating as we know we’re in a tough time with the economy so when the need for assistance was expressed we’ve helped, particularly on East Street. We’re prepared to assist wherever we can.”
Collie-Harris said the process to inform the vendors to move began some time ago. “We started informing vendors on East Street about six months ago. It was two months prior to us directly coming in front of them for East Street and January/February for the vendors on Baillou Hill Road.
“As the work progresses we try to come out a little more frequently. At the very point in time we come out every week. That is the plan we’ve tried to adhere to thus far. The process involves confirming that they have the vendor’s permit and licenses,” she said.
Collie-Harris noted that the Ministry is presently not in position to say if the relocations would be permanent.
“At this point in time we cannot say if it is for the long term but most likely the areas in which they were vending initially may not be feasible once the road works are completed. It is under discussion right now with the relevant unit so that we can give vendors advanced notice on what is to happen once the roadwork is completed.”
Collie-Harris said some vendors on the western side of East Street have moved out of the project right-away, however their location is still not acceptable as their customers have to cross the project work which is unsafe.
“We must remove all incumbent out of the project right-away,” she said.
By Kathryn Campbell
Bahamas Information Services