BY ALEX DADAMU
WITH pandemic worries getting fainter by the day and things are returning to normal, more people are venturing out of their homes and getting on with their lives.
However, complete recovery will take time and currently, times are very hard and people are trying to make ends meet and make a living out of the little they have.
For market vendors at the Honiara Central Market, garden root crops are becoming harder to sell out as customers are financially handicapped due to the COVID situation.
35-year-old market vendor, Margaret, a mother from Balasuna Village in North East Guadalcanal sells root crops including cassava and kumara weekly at the central market to support her family with basic necessities.
With the recent reopening of schools, school fees is being added to her list of expenses which she have to meet.
She pointed out that with the current COVID-19 Situation served with the upsurge of fuel prices worldwide, their main challenge now is expenses which includes transport fees and Market fees.
Another of their concern as she pointed out was the space in which they sell their produces.
“I call on the responsible body within Honiara City Council to consider providing at least a good shed for us vendors to protect us from the scorching heat of the sun before asking and collecting fees from us.
”We are struggling to sell our garden produces and some days, we don’t have enough money to buy for some of our basic needs to take back home, let alone have enough for transport fare and market fees because the produces that we sell did not sell out.
“Responsible body under HCC should consider reducing their fee charges daily because people are struggling, we are all struggling to make ends meet.
Ruben Thegnahula from Rogavolo Village in North East Guadalcanal also shared similar sentiments stating that compared to past years before the COVID pandemic period, currently there are finding it really hard to sell their products at the Honiara Central Market.
“Nowadays, coming to the market is quite expensive because of the fuel increase which in turn forced the transportation fares to increase.
Ruben is a single man in his 30’s and when asked what was his aim with regards to his weekly sales trip to the market, he said he is trying his best to help support his sister and her children financially to enable the children to go to school now that schools are reopening.
“I’m helping her do marketing here to support her children with school fees and other needs for their education.
“Body responsible for the Market should consider reducing market fee charges daily because people are struggling very hard to find money and reducing the market fees is the least HCC can do to help farmers who are trying to make ends meet daily.
Meanwhile, responding to queries by Sunday Isles about the issue raised by the market vendors, the Market Master for Honiara Central Market, Nelson Sakui said his office have not received any complaints about a request for market fees reduction or any other issues for that matter and he said that he will not make any further comments about the issue.
