Vendorship Clash in Annandale: Long-Time Vendors Cry Foul Over Stand Demolition
By Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News
Two long-standing vendors along the Annandale Public Road say their livelihoods are under threat after repeated attempts to operate peacefully have been met with hostility from a local businessman.
Jermaine Knights and his partner Euline McCrae, who have been vending in the area for over 20 years, claim that a man identified only as Mr. Outar has been dismantling their vending stall piece by piece, despite previous assurances from the local Neighborhood Democratic Council (NDC) that their presence was not an issue.
“If you tell me I could understand,” said a frustrated Knights. “But he just keep breaking my stand down every day — piece by piece.”
The couple told the Nightly News that, although they had tried to resolve the matter amicably, tensions escalated. Knights alleges that Mr. Outar even threatened to call the police or the NDC to remove them if they did not leave voluntarily or forcibly.
According to McCrae, the acting chairman of the Mon Repos/La Reconnaissance NDC, Mr. Harilall Tilku, had previously indicated that there was no objection to their vending along that stretch of road.
“We spent our own money to rebuild the stall again,” McCrae said, showing receipts for construction materials as proof. “But still, no help from the relevant authorities. We don’t know what to do next.”
When contacted, Mr. Tilku clarified that while the NDC sympathized with the vendors’ situation, they do not have jurisdiction over public roadways, which fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Public Works.
“We can’t give permission to build on the road,” Tilku explained. “But we are exploring alternative locations nearby so that the vendors can continue to earn a living.”
McCrae also alleges that Mr. Outar falsely claimed he received verbal permission to dismantle the stall — an allegation which Tilku denied, emphasizing that verbal authorization is not valid for such matters.
Efforts by Nightly News to contact Mr. Outar for a comment were unsuccessful.
As the couple continues to seek redress, they hope authorities will step in to mediate and protect their right to earn a living, especially in an economy where small-scale vending remains a crucial source of income for many families.
