Govt to launch aggressive rollout of vending zones this year

The government is set to deliver on its long-promised vending zones this year, with an “aggressive” nationwide rollout aimed at decriminalising vending and promoting it as a viable employment option, Minister of Energy and Business Senator Lisa Cummins announced in Parliament on Wednesday.

The initiative forms part of the government’s efforts to decriminalise vending, promote it as a sustainable employment option, and create designated areas for vendors and customers.

Senator Cummins, who noted that she was involved in drafting the vending legislation years ago, said the government had finalised plans for implementation and assured that construction would begin this year.

“I believe several years ago, in a different incarnation, I sat on a select committee that created the vending zones and created the vending legislation as part of a public process. And so, I’m vested in the implementation of the vending zones from that perspective long ago,” she told the House appropriations committee.

She revealed that a dedicated meeting was held this week with multiple agencies, including the Urban and Rural Development Corporation (URDC), to finalise the location of vending zones across the country.

“I want to thank all of the honourable members who have been submitting to the ministry your respective locations as was requested as part of these estimates of expenditure,” she said.

“We already have 14 areas that have been submitted by members of this chamber, and together with the Ministry of Business, the Ministry of Transport and Works, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the RDC and URDC in their amalgamated form, we are mapping out where we will go during the course of this year. I give you the commitment that during this year, you will be seeing the rollout of an aggressive vending zone programme in terms of construction.”

Chief business development advisor Anderson Cumberbatch revealed that previous logistical challenges had been resolved and that implementation would now move forward without delay.

“We now have a framework with which we are able to deliver in a timely manner. And in a matter of weeks, we would be able to execute this programme in a way that I think Barbados would be pleased with,” he said.

Cumberbatch added that officials had visited additional sites this week, ensuring that all necessary groundwork had been laid for the vending zones to be efficiently established.

(SM)