DEAR EDITOR – Your editorial in Wednesday's issue of your paper on betel nut selling along the streets of Honiara is only part of the story (see Star no. 4150 of Wed 27th Jan 2010). There are some street vendors who have set up their stalls on the walkways in front of some shops in town.
These people sell all kinds of items such as perfumes, pens, watches, knives and so on and so forth. I just wonder whether these people have been permitted by the City Council to sell their wares publicly like they have done. Have they paid some license to hawker goods on the streets?
Or is the City Council now encouraging black market operators to trade openly like this? The street vendors are being a nuisance.
Firstly their stalls and "business" normally blocks the path of members of the public who use the walk ways. Secondly, these traders are being unfair to the Chinese shop owners who pay rates to the City Council to operate. These traders have set up their stalls in front of some shops.
As a result they have been blocking the entrance of some of the shops. I guess they may have blocked out customers from these shops as well. That is rude. Thirdly, there are other Solomon Islanders who have items to sell. But they either go to the market or arrange private sales of their items. If the City Council allows these street traders to continue their activities in the centre of Honiara then why not announce it to the public. I am sure there would be people who would love to set up their stalls in front of the shops and offices in the City. Can the City Council sort this our properly?
Otherwise my wantoks would like to set up their black market stalls in the city too.
Larrson Yahyee
Honiara
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