ST JOHN’S, Antigua – As the authorities intensify enforcement of the island’s traffic regulations, vendors operating in the Public Market say they are feeling it in their pockets.
They told OBSERVER Media that their main difficulty occurs when shoppers who park on both sides of the Market Complex are ticketed for illegal parking.
“So why risk coming and buy EC $40 of fresh produce for an EC $150 ticket?” one vendor, who did not want to be named because she feared victimisation, said.
She said since traffic wardens got back on the streets last month they have not been lenient on individuals stopping by to make quick purchases.
This, other vendors say, has resulted in a “significant drop in our sales.”
“Nobody is coming into the market anymore. It was bad but now it is worse because there is no parking,” another who spoke to us on the same condition of anonymity, said.
The vendors want government to designate a special area for customers doing business at the market.
There has been a notable increase in traffic wardens around the city, not only warning, but actively issuing tickets and towing vehicles for breaching the road laws.
The traffic wardens, who assist lawmen, returned to the streets last month, some months after their expired contracts were not renewed.
One traffic warden who was seen issuing a ticket in that area said, “The law is the law.”
“We are just doing our jobs,” added his female colleague.