Informal market stalls on roadsides were removed to prevent flooding and flying debris - Kumar

Minister for Local Government, Premila Kumar says the decision to remove informal market stalls on roadsides was taken to prevent flooding and flying debris and municipal councils did this in the interest of the public when the cyclone was forecast to pass over the country bringing with it heavy rain and strong winds.

Kumar says all municipal councils were guided in their decisions by the National Disaster Management Office on the severity and the impact of the cyclone.

She has revealed this after SODELPA MP Salote Radrodro asked Kumar to explain what process was followed in the decision to dismantle informal markets before and after Tropical Cyclone Yasa.

Kumar says informal markets were installed on existing stormwater drains and the forecast rainfall would have seen flooding which would have posed a threat to neighbouring properties and road infrastructure.

She says prior verbal and written notices were issued to the roadside vendors to relocate.

Another SODELPA MP, Lynda Tabuya then asked the Minister why they have broken their promise with the roadside vendors.

Premila Kumar says the situation has changed.

The Local Government Minister says all municipal markets have market vendors associations and there are more than 8,000 registered market vendors in the country.

Kumar says these market vendors are writing to her and are asking why a handful of vendors are operating from roadsides.

She says they have helped the roadside vendors by giving them better facilities like toilet facilities, good water supply, lights, cleaning services and security in municipal markets.

Kumar then questioned Tabuya whether she is trying to protect a handful of roadside vendors against thousands of registered market vendors around the country.