Minister for Local Government Premila Kumar says all municipal market opening and closing hours have been reviewed and markets will now open from 8am and close no later than 7pm daily.
Kumar says Special Administrators, Chief Executive Officers and market masters would be responsible for conveying the change in the market opening and closing hours, applicable to all market vendors around the country.
Kumar stated that last weekend some markets were overcrowded and it was evident that people were not adhering to the physical distancing rule.
The Minister says they are already creating distance between vendors but the overcrowding from the public needs to stop adding for this reason, Special Administrators at each Council are now working to decentralise markets to prevent overcrowding.
Kumar further says small markets will be located at strategic locations in towns and neighbourhoods to give options to consumers to buy produce within their area and people will be able to shop at a market closer to their home.
She encourages the public to visit market when it’s not busy adding rather than going to markets on Saturday, she encourages people to go after work, during lunch hour and visit these decentralised markets that they’re putting up in neighbourhoods, as well as parks and other places.
Kumar says this way, people will be safe, your family will be safe and of course your community will be safe.
She adds this will stop unnecessary travel to central markets.
Kumar said information on the decentralised markets will be given out to the public in next few days.
