Saturday, September 20 2008

click on pic to zoom in

WAITING: An overhead shot of the People's Mall on Frederick Street, Port-of-Spain, yesterday. ...

FRUSTRATED VENDORS at the People’s Mall on Frederick Street said yesterday they have been waiting over three years on Government to rebuild a new facility.

“We have been waiting more than three years for word on what is happening with the new facility but we have not heard anything as yet,” one vendor said.

The People’s Mall was completely destroyed by fire in April 2005, and promises were given to vendors that the mall will be rebuilt.

“The vendors are getting fed up of waiting but we have waited this long so we can wait a little longer,” she said.

Agnes Blackman, another vendor, said, “No date or time frame has been given by the Government as to when the vendors can expect to see any rebuilding being done.”

“We did what was required and now we are just waiting on the Government,” said Blackman.

“It is unfair to the vendors that it be put on hold,”she said.

Glenford Jones, president of the People’s Mall, said it was difficult to say when construction will start.

“We are still in the bidding stage of the project. One bidder has come forward, however it is still in an early stage of negotiations,” he said.

Calls to officials at Udecott, project managers, were not returned yesterday.