The issue is that the market-day area, which is located directly in front of the Civic Center in Belmopan, is being renovated and the market vendors had to relocate, first, to the Agriculture and Trade Show grounds and, then, to their present location along the ring road near the Roman Catholic Church. According to the vendors this move has crippled them. Apart from losing business, the fees for their spots at the new market are simply unaffordable. Courtney Weatherburne has the story:

Courtney Weatherburne reporting
It seems like a casual Tuesday market day here in Belmopan, but the thing is a ripple of discontent moves among the vendors. We are here to find out why:...

Janice Baine, Herbalist
"The reforms that they have made in the first place they have taken our $40 a month and told us all those contracts no matter how many years you are in the market you are void. So now you will go and you will pay $10 a market, so if you look at it we were paying $4 a market day, now we are paying $10 a market day. We have terrible conditions here, for example, we have to a dollar to go and use the market there which is a little bit bizarre because if you look at somebody they might visit the bathroom 4-5 times a day - that's a little steep for public bathroom and also which is a problem we don't have places to wash our hands. First thing that we would like to see them do is to put an exemption and an amnesty on every outstanding debt that we have acquired for being here because you forced us into this debt by raising the price so high, you tax us and remember the ability to tax is the ability to destroy."

Henry Anthony Wade, Clothes Vendor
"I believe that the city council should have waited until we got back on site at the city center to start implementing these charges and I really can't see why the stated charging us from January 1st. They should have waited until we got back there because we have been taken for a ride as it is. We have been paying for zero."

Adriana Esmeralda Luna, vegetable vendor
"Cost is beyond what we even make. It's expensive. We have people that stop sell because they can't afford it. We will have to stop because we can't pay $1,500. Where will we get it from? We barely make money here and this government is charging us $1,500. We are poor people, we are not rich people and the condition when it rains here, it gets muddy. People don't even want to come out to buy. This is mud when it rains, so we want this government to think about those families who have children. We are here for our children, we come to sell here for our children to eat - that is why we are here. But they don't care about that, they only care about the money. So we want a change, don't act like that with us. We are not animals and this is a good living, we are not stealing out there. We are selling here to make a living."

We tried to get the Mayor's side of the story but he was unavailable for comment on the issue.

So while the newly renovated market place is being used as a parking lot, the vendors have to endure the adverse conditions at their current location for now, but no one can say for how much longer.

Although the Mayor was unavailable for comment today, he will be available on Friday at the Civic Center where the market vendors will meet with him to discuss the issue.