West Canal vendors move inside Finnegan Market

Phillip Willoughby

Vendors along West Canal, situated adjacent to the newly opened Michael Finnegan Market, were up in arms recently over relocation from their usual place of business.  That created a heap of controversy because the vendors did not want to shell out more money to conduct business inside the market.  The transfer should be completed by the second week of April as the City Council can only complete the construction of thirteen additional stalls inside the market square on the weekends.  According to councilor Phillip Willoughby, all the wrinkles have been ironed out.

Phillip Willoughby, Council Responsible for Markets

“This afternoon I met with the vendors from the Belize River Valley explaining to them what the cost formula would be, as well as this morning I spoke with the vendors along West Canal explaining to them and everybody are in agreement with the current fee restructuring.  The fees will be now nine dollars per day and that is at the lower end which will come up to about probably two hundred [and fifty dollars], two hundred and fifty two dollars per month and that is what they will be now asked to pay the Belize City Council.  This fee encompasses their sanitation fee, a sanitation fee that will be leveled.  It won’t be seen directly but some part of the cost would be dealing with that.  There was a request from our manager to look at employing additional staff to man the grounds, we now have market police to provide the security within the interior of the market and maybe on the periphery of the exterior market and also other facilities that would be available to them will come at a cost but will be borne by them.  I know there’s water that will be needed at the market and other facilities I think we should be providing.”