12/02/2024

Support for Displaced Vendors Ahead of International Women's Day

By UWP

The United Workers Party (UWP) Castries Central Branch raises strong objection to the recent moves by the SLP government to block vendors from earning a living in the nation’s capital. The Castries Constituency Council’s recent request to vacate the area is unfortunate. Many vendors have been selling in the affected areas for over five years.
This decision has left many families in a state of uncertainty and distress. A number of the affected households are provided for by single parent mothers who make up the lion share of the displaced vendors. Given the rising cost of general commodities, the high unemployment rate among females, the UWP Castries Central Branch believes this is a grave injustice. This is worsened by the fact that there seems to be no plan for income support to cushion the pain the vendors are beginning to feel.

The price of bread, bus fares, LPG cooking gas, rice, flour and sugar shortages, all add to the pain. At a time when the world is gearing up to celebrate International Women's Day, the Castries Constituency Council has chosen to compromise the livelihoods of so many women. People are suffering from the high cost of living, yet this uncaring government chooses to deprive these hardworking citizens of the opportunity to earn a living. These vendors continue to contribute to the vibrancy and diversity of our local economy. Many of them have built relationships with their customers and have become integral parts of the community fabric and the informal economy. To displace them without offering a viable alternative not only undermines their economic stability but also disregards their contributions to the social and cultural life of our city.

We call upon the Mayor of Castries, Geraldine Lendor, the Castries Constituency Council, and the Parliamentary Representative for Castries Central and Minister for Local Government, Richard Frederick, to reconsider their decision and engage in meaningful dialogue with the affected vendors. We urge members of the community, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders to stand in solidarity with the displaced vendors. We will continue to stand up for the rights of these vendors and to ensure they are not left behind.

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