THE dry goods section of the Brown's Town Market will be closed for two weeks, as of January 17 next year, for refurbishing, according to secretary/manager of the St Ann Parish Council Dorothy Delgado.

However, Delgado said only vendors who have paid up all outstanding fees will be allowed to use the refurbished facility.

The decision was taken last week following a meeting between the council and representatives from the Ministry of Local Government.

In a release on Wednesday, Delgado said the decision to close the market was unanimously endorsed.

Earlier this month, vendors demonstrated against plans by the Council to close the dry goods section of the market on December 8, for two weeks for renovation, saying the proposed closure was ill-timed and that the alternate location was inadequate.

Councillor for the Brown's Town Division Ivan Anderson supported the vendors' action and called on the parish council to change the date of the planned relocation. Anderson suggested that the completed section of the market could be used to house the vendors, in the interim.

But at Monday's meeting, where Anderson was present, it was unanimously decided that the vendors would be instructed to vacate the entire market, in order for the work to be done.

Vendors have been served with notices to vacate the premises as of January 17, and according to Delgado, they have indicated that they would still not be interested in using the car park in the interim.
"After the (Christmas) rush, then we see what happens," one of the vendors told the Observer on Wednesday.

In the meantime, the council has appealed to the vendors and residents of the community to ensure that the council's objectives of completing the refurbishing work on time are met.

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