Minister of Social and Urban Transformation, Rawdon Turner, is inviting vendors who operate their businesses near the Woods Centre to meeting next week to discuss issues regarding their operation.
On Tuesday, the Minister paid a in-person visit to the area and handed out a letter of invitation to the vendors urging them to attend the meeting. “What works for one person may not work for the other, so there needs to be an open discussion on the way forward regarding the vending. I don’t want to come and design something or offer any solution without engaging the vendors. There is room for significant improvement and I want to have that discussion with every person who makes a living here so that we can come to an understanding and find solutions to the situation here because in all honesty, we cannot continue like this,” he remarked.
The letter from the minister reads: “You are invited to a meeting on Monday, 2nd June 2025, at 10:00 AM in the Conference Room of the Ministry of Social and Urban Transformation, located on Friars Hill Road.
This meeting has been called to discuss the current state of the informal vendor area at Woods Pond. As you are aware, the condition of the space has raised concerns from various quarters, including public health, safety, and aesthetics. It is important that we have an open dialogue about these concerns and explore possible next steps together.
Your presence and input are highly valued, and we look forward to a constructive and respectful exchange.
Thank you for your attention and cooperation.”
Already, several of the vendors have expressed a willingness to work along with the minister in his efforts to uplift the standard of vending in the area noting that they too are concerned about many of the things raised by the minister.
According to Minister Turner there are no firm plans for the area, but he wants to have the input from the vendors so that these can inform whatever decisions are finally agreed upon.
