MORE CCTV AT THE MARKETS TO CURB CRIMES
Minister for Local Government, Housing and Community Development Premila Kumar believes that having more CCTV cameras setup in markets can solve a number of issues.
Speaking during her tour of the Nadi Market on Wednesday, Ms Kumar said issues such as the sale of marijuana and other petty crimes would stop if cameras were put in strategic locations. The minister said the vendors themselves had asked for more CCTV units to be installed.
“We know that some markets have become problematic like a Lautoka juice seller selling marijuana,” she said.
“And because it is so easily available. The market is the place where people come to. So it becomes the most lucrative place to sell such items.”
She added that the Nadi Town Council was expected to start with refurbishment of ventilation in certain sections of the market.
“The first thing we going to do is to put ventilation where it is needed,” she said.
The minister also added that the vendors requested if they could increase the number of operating hours at the market. She said she would look into it. The minister also visited Namaka Market and Tavua Market among others in the Western Division. WAISEA NASOKIA
Edited by Jonathan Bryce
Bird droppings on market produce have irritated vendors in Nadi over the years. At the Namaka Market, Arun Lata, could not rest on the issue any longer and raised the issue directly with the visiting Minister for Local Government and Housing, Premila Kumar.
Ms Lata, 56, said being a vendor for the past five years at the Namaka Market, her vegetables have been affected daily from these bird droppings.
Ms Kumar toured the Namaka
Market on Wednesday.
“This is what happens every day to my baigan (eggplant) and gobi (cabbage) produces,” said Ms Lata. “Even bird eggs fall down and crack on the floor.”
She also claimed mosquitoes were breeding in the drains located in the market.
The owner of Shristi Curry Mahal Restaurant, Uma Devi, who is also a market vendor said she hoped the issue would be eradicated soon.
Response
In response to this, Ms Kumar said the issue was because the building structure is an open market.
“For the Namaka Market, as you can see it is an important market. Because it is an open market, obviously we are facing some problems with the birds and we are talking
to some companies to look into it,” she said.
She said at the same time, they would talk to the architects to fix whatever issue they currently face. “First we have to look at the costing, who is going to do it because at the end of the day we have to advertise for the tender and the best company will be given the job to complete this. But certainly we will look at this issue.”
Politics in the market
Ms Kumar said politics was at its best in the market where com
plaints would be made all the time. “As I have always said and I do not hesitate to say it again, when you talk about politics, politics is at its best in the market,” said Ms Kumar. “People don’t want to follow rules. They want to make a group and will be fighting with another group.
They will be complaining like little kids all the time and I’m pretty used to it. That’s why we are trying to introduce market managers.” com.fj