The Struggle of Being a Vendor
Vendors across the country welcomed the news on Friday that the new COVID-19 regulations would give them some relief. For months, vendors were forced to relocate from their popular spots into private property if they wanted to continue selling. That has now changed. Vendors are now allowed to sell in public spaces as long as they follow the safety protocols. News Five caught up with some vendors, but as reporter Hipolito Novelo found out, they are struggling to stay afloat.
Hipolito Novelo, Reporting
He’s a familiar face in downtown Belize City, and that’s because, for more than twenty-one years, Jerrison Lopez has been selling fruits on Albert Street.
Jerrison Lopez
Jerrison Lopez, Vendor
“Right now it is the plum season. After plum season, coming in now is the custard apple and sour sop. We usually mix them with milk and sell them in cups.”
His way of making a living is honest and modest. His determination to continue striving has brought him to this same spot every day.
Jerrison Lopez
“Craboo season coming up after that. I sell all the fruits. Once the customers want it and I can put my hands on it I am going to get it.”
But Lopez’s challenge now is selling it. The business has been slow thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jerrison Lopez
“It affected us. It affects me because it slowed down business at a type of level like the school children. Every day the school children pass they spend a lot of money with us. No school children passing right now. I have to rely on the business community.”
A few bought from Lopez, which is more than what we can say for Lawrence Mejia. He has been selling fruits and other items in front of the Belize City Bus Terminal for five years. He set up shop at five o’clock this morning and by mid-afternoon Mejia had only sold eight dollars of goods.
Lawrence Mejia
Lawrence Mejia, Vendor
“You hardly make anything because nobody buy. Nobody has money. There is nobody on the streets. We can’t sell. It is rough. Whole day I just make like fifteen or eight dollars.”
Hipolito Novelo
“Okay so like right now, how much have you made?”
Lawrence Mejia
“Sold like about eight dollars today.”
Hipolito Novelo
“How long have you been out there, this morning?”
Lawrence Mejia
“From five-thirty to now.”
But now, under the new COVID regulations, vendors have more freedom. They are no longer confined to sell from private property. They can now be out in public, trying to make ends meet. Tamales vendor Gary Matus says he is glad that officers won’t be harassing him anymore.
Gary Matus
Gary Matus, Vendor
“I use to sell before COVID drop down a lot of tamales and ducunu and when COVID come everything business down, slow, slow. Sometime you come sell out here to make a piece of bread city council harass, police harass, lot of thing harass.”
Matus says that business has been so bad that he has been forced to give his tamales and ducunu for free.
Gary Matus
“I use to sell a hundred and fifty tamales a day and a hundred ducunu right now too slow. Sometimes I have to give it out, give it to the homeless. I give this lady some tamales, ducunu. Sometimes I give to children on the street. Sometime I can’t take it back and hot it, I have to give it back.”
The vendors have to make sure that they and their customers adhere to the six feet social distancing.
Jerrison Lopez
“You have to put things in place and make they follow protocols because the piling up around that is where things will transmit. I don’t have any problem with the markers. I don’t really have to put the markers you know. I will explain to my customers, please no gathering. Distance yourself. Sir, it is you who I am dealing with right now. Miss, I will deal with you next and everybody respect the distance and respect the business and the authorities and we go from there.”
These vendors are hopeful that moving forward with the loosening of the regulations, a sense of normalcy will return for them. It would mean being able to keep up with the mounting bills.
Gary Matus
“You have to bring food for the kids, house rent, have to pay light bill and water bill. And if you don’t pay your water bill and light bill they cut you off. They throw you on the streets.”
Lawrence Mejia
“Very bad. Only the lady with the food sell because she makes food but once it is barter, so bad. It is really bad biggs. We fight hard for a living mien. Hard.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Hipolito Novelo.
