Businessman barters with parents for shoes and bags
Suva businessman, Lawrence Cheung, is willing to help parents and guardians who do not have money to buy new school shoes and bags for their children. He is willing to barter with people in exchange for a new pair of shoes or bag.
To date Mr Cheung has bartered with hundreds of customers for shoes from his shop ‘Quality Vogue – Unique Fashion Shop’ located at Shop 5, Vanua Arcade in Suva. Days before the start of the 2021 school year and with people still feeling the economic hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic, he says although he is not giving away free items he is willing to help people through the barter system.
Customers who have bartered with him travel from as far as Sigatoka offering coconuts, trays of pies, fish, fresh cow milk, frozen chicken and packaged liquid milk.
“We are thinking about those who really need shoes or bags but cannot afford to buy it especially after Tropical Cyclone Yasa. We want to help them,” Mr Cheung said. “We have bartered canvas and bags with coconuts and we share it with the shops next door, our family, neighbours and our friends. Everyone is happy through our bartering. Their happiness is our happiness.”
Mr Cheung is suggesting that a market day is organised solely for bartering purposes so that people can exchange and trade goods without cash.
He is also encouraging people to engage in agriculture for long term food supply.
Anyone who wishes to barter with Mr Cheung is advised to contact him first on Facebook under the same name before visiting the shop to barter.