Heritage Quay vendors’ latest complaint addressed

Tenants at the Heritage Quay Vendors’ Mall got some relief yesterday after complaining they had to work in dark and hot conditions for two days.
Vendors who contacted OBSERVER media yesterday said that on Monday changes were made to the newly erected vendors’ stalls and power was shut off.
One vendor said she and her colleagues were forced to operate on Tuesday without electricity, causing the stalls to be dark and humid.
“They did some adjustments Monday evening and [Tuesday] we had to work without electricity again. We did not make any money [Tuesday] because the place was so dark. The situation is chaotic because the place is dark and hot. We have tourists in and we can’t make any money because the place is just too dark,” one vendor said.
The woman, who requested anonymity, said she and her colleagues were hoping to capitalise on the cruise ships docked at the city’s piers, but the atmosphere did not entice visitors to show interest in the booths.
The vendor said even as thousands of cruise passengers visited the city on Tuesday, she and some of her colleagues left work without making any money.
Vendors took their plight to their landlord – the St. John’s Development Corporation (SJDC) – and yesterday the SJDC sent a team to rectify the problem. The vendors indicated that they were feeling a little more comfortable.
Over the years, the vendors have complained about the conditions at the Heritage Quay mall, including termite infested stalls and broken structures that they could not secure properly.
In recent months, the SJDC moved the tenants to a temporary location while the stalls were removed, and new ones installed.
However, while at the temporary location, the vendors had to contend with raw sewage running in the path of their stalls, which many said made it difficult for them to earn their living.