Ordered to close a week before Memorial Day events | Local news

Food vendors at Queen’s Park Savannah in Port of Spain claimed they were being “oppressed” after being ordered to close their businesses for a week ahead of Memorial Day on November 10.

But the Local Culinary Ambassadors Association (ALCA), which represents about 62 vendors, said they would not move because the financial losses would be “too great.”

On October 22, the Department of Agriculture issued a notice to vendors that they must vacate the area to host Memorial Day celebrations in Savannah.

ALCA president Michael Williams told the Express yesterday that the request was unprecedented and “unreasonable” as Remembrance Day events “start early and end in the afternoon”.

Vendors traditionally leave the food court entirely for Independence Day celebrations, which last more than a week, he said.

“We never had any problems with this as the area was needed for Independence Day. “We’ve always followed that,” Williams said.

He added: “There are no events that week before Remembrance Day; “There is no reason for us to move.”

He said vendors would not comply with the ministry’s order this time “as always” because they found it unreasonable and unwarranted.

ALCA is also about the department’s “lack of respect,” Williams said.

“They didn’t call us or attempt to talk to us,” Williams said.

On Memorial Day, a parade is usually held in the morning, he said, and vendors are accustomed to leaving the area the night before and returning in the afternoon.

“We always clean and clean the area the night before,” Williams said.

“There’s never been a problem with that. We also pay people to maintain the area, including the public toilet.”

Moving is costly, Williams said, and some vendors pay up to $1,600 to move food trailers and bring them back.

“They don’t do anything a week before the ceremony, but now we have to close it down. We must stop plying our trade. “We shouldn’t eat for a week,” Williams said, adding that denying vendors rights is not the right way to honor war veterans on Memorial Day.

Williams said the food court is traditionally moved elsewhere for the Carnival season and praised the National Carnival Commission (NCC) for being “always respectful and consultative with us.”

Queen’s Park Savannah is managed by the Department of Agriculture’s Horticultural Services Division. Attempts by the department and Agriculture Minister Kazim Hussein to respond were unsuccessful.

No job, no salary

Williams and the vendors who spoke to the Express in Savannah yesterday said they couldn’t pay their employees if they weren’t making sales.

Nearly 200 people have found work at Savannah’s popular food court, which features a variety of cuisines but mostly local and Caribbean dishes.

Vendor Andrew Bute said it was very stressful to be told to close for a week “out of the blue” and criticized the department for taking “a particular interest in people’s livelihoods”.

Vendors will also be stuck with perishable goods, including “expensive” fresh produce, he said.

“Remembrance Day and Wreath Laying Ceremony 2024 will be held on Sunday, November 10, 2024, at Port of Spain Memorial Park,” the ministry said in its letter.

“The main activities will be rehearsals and a military parade, starting and ending at Queen’s Park Savannah,” the letter added.

It advised vendors that to facilitate these activities, members must “stop all vending from midnight on Sunday, November 3, 2024, until 4:00 pm on Sunday, November 10.”

The department ordered vendors to “remove all vehicles, tents, stalls, and other items parked and stored along the paved road and the lawn extending from the gated entrance of the Queen’s Park Savannah to the east entrance of the Grand Stand, opposite Memorial Park.” ”.

ALCA was also told that items removed from the food court area “should not be moved to unauthorized lawn areas at Queen’s Park Savannah.”

The ministry said its request was “in line with the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding” between the then Ministry of Food Production, Land and Marine Affairs and ALCA dated January 10, 2012.

violation of rights

ALCA is a registered legal entity and has a binding agreement with the ministry, Williams said.

“This is a violation of our rights,” he said.

Sherry-Ann Joseph said the food court has become more popular in the past few years, including with tourists.

“Sometimes busloads of tourists come here,” Joseph said.

He said most vendors are open for business “every day” and that the area serves as an important and “safe” recreation area.

“We bring people here for business meetings,” Joseph said.

He was among the vendors who cited transportation costs to get in and out of the food court, and said it was stressful not being able to pay their employees.