In June, summonses were handed out to three vendors on Coney Drive, in front of HD Thompson and Gonzalo Quinto, for mis-using a road reserve. It's a busy area, where different parties are jostling for space. Today we asked the mayor what the council is doing about it.
Bernard Wagner, Mayor of Belize City
"We have a policy to really support young entrepreneurs. We are all for supporting vendor activities, not only in the Digi Park or the Memorial Park, but also along areas like the Mahogany Street, but we want it to be done in an orderly fashion, we don't want to infringe on anybody's rights, that issue in front of the HD Thompson, that's a court matter, it has gone to court at least three times already. Each and every time we have come out, based on the judge's ruling, so again, we can't be an entity that's stopping people from vending, we believe that the best social program is about putting people to work. Many people want to look at the pantry, pantry is good, in my view, for the elderly, for single parents, but I believe that the best social program is putting people to work and that is why we have all these festivals, because when we have these festivals, people, young entrepreneurs, people come out and sell and that gives them their dignity, and when you as a parent, a mother and a father is able to work and be proud that you can provide for your family, that's dignity, that's the best feeling ever, being able to provide for your family so we have a mixed approach of ensuring that we put people to work through the festivals, through the super sales, through all the activities we have, but we also can never forget that we have people living on the margins, the indigents, the elderly, the single parents and so we want to provide that extra boost."
Reports are that some of the vendors have magically converted their lease into titles.
