Come back to Roseau market, Dominica vendors urged

The minister for trade, energy and employment in Dominica has urged those who sell agricultural produce on the streets of the capital to return to Roseau Market.

Ian Douglas stressed that street vending in Roseau is something that the government does not want to encourage due to sanitary issues.

“So we want to as much as possible to encourage all of our vendors to really return to the Roseau market,” the minister said.

Douglas stated that he understands the situation immediately after Hurricane Maria, when vendors wanted to ply their trade.

But now that the market is opened, they should go there.

“That is the purpose of the market and that is really where all of the conditions necessary required for proper fresh produce vending is and not on the side of the road where you have no pipe-borne water beside the road, no washroom facility… to meet the sanitary requirements needed for fresh produce vending that may exist at the Roseau Market.”

Last week Dominica Export Import Agency revealed that despite Roseau Market reopening, $500,000 will need to be invested to get it back to pre-Maria conditions.

Gregoire Thomas, DEXIA general manager, told a press conference: “We have a situation where we are only providing the basics in terms of the vending space."