109 La Grange vendors draw lots for new vending spots

One hundred and nine vendors operating along the La Grange/Bagotsville roadway on Sundays have now been assigned new vending locations after participating in a lottery exercise organised by the Ministry of Public Works on Saturday.The activity was conducted as part of efforts to relocate vendors from the roadside to a safer and more organised area where they can continue selling produce and other goods without creating traffic hazards.Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, explained that the relocation comes after concerns were raised about the way stalls had gradually extended onto the carriageway, creating risks for both motorists and vendors.“We have a space set so that the people on the roadway could sell on Sunday. When they finish selling on Sunday, they will collapse their tables and their stalls, and we will continue to work to improve the tarmac to a more all-weather surface,” the minister said.Edghill noted that the roadside location where vendors had traditionally gathered was never intended to function as a market. Over time, however, vending activities expanded onto the roadway, prompting the need for a safer arrangement.Following consultations with the vendors last week, the ministry identified two areas where the traders could be accommodated. These include a street leading to the La Grange Police Station and another space located along the southern side of the Number One Canal.The ministry’s technical team also carried out a walkthrough during the busy Sunday vending period to document the vendors operating there. That exercise identified 109 individuals, all of whom were invited to take part in Saturday’s lottery to determine their assigned spots.Among them was vendor Jessica King, who said vending has long been part of her family’s livelihood.She noted that she has been selling for more than 12 years, while her mother has been involved in the trade for nearly three decades. King expressed appreciation for the system used to allocate the new spaces.“I’m happy with the number that I pulled, since I will be at the front part.. I’m glad that he came out so that we can get more space on the road,” she said.The relocation forms part of the government’s broader efforts to organise vending activities in areas undergoing infrastructure works, while ensuring that vendors can continue earning an income in a structured and safer environment.