by TREVOR YEARWOOD

GO IN PEACE!

That is the advice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Haynesley Benn has for vendors who have been asked to stop selling outside Trimart Supermarket on Bridge Street, in Bridgetown.

"If the owners of the property say they want them to move, then they should go in peace," Benn told the DAILY NATION yesterday. "Don't wait for the police to come."

Benn said arrangements had been made for about six vendors to operate outside the supermarket "but usually in Barbados six becomes 12 and 12 becomes 24 – these numbers have a way of multiplying".

Benn was commenting on a letter to him from one of the directors of NSR Limited, the company that owns the Trimart Supermarket properties, to the effect that no vending will be allowed outside the Bridge Street operation after Thursday.

The company cited losses of more than $100 000 a month and said it could no longer afford to allow vending outside the property.

The company complained about the obstruction of the free flow of pedestrian traffic right outside the doors and also charged that the customers were "dissuaded" from shopping at Trimart because of a "significant amount of harassment by vendors".

Benn reported that Government had found alternative accommodation in The City and had already informed the vegetable and fruit hawkers.

"They will still have access to the hundreds of people in The City and in an environment more conducive to business," Benn said.

"Vendors should not delay. I urge them to move from Bridge Street. Let us not be lawless business people."