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Phillip Willoughby, Deputy Mayor
"Most of these vendors are out here just solely on the basis on conducting business without going through the proper channels which is the Belize City Council. With that in mind; second to that, the usage or the passage of the sidewalk for what it is mandated to be used for, for pedestrians traversing the area. Now with that in mind we are not stopping business, we are not saying that the council does not want to welcome or accommodate the citizenry to do business but they need to come down to the council and go through the proper procedures to conduct the business and the council will give them the guidelines as to how to operate and where to operate."

Andrea Polanco
"But most of these vendors told us that they are currently paying to sell along this sidewalk, so then why now is it suddenly that the city come to say it's an offence for example we spoke to a lady this morning and she says she has been selling here for about 6 years and so they want to know why this sudden change."

Phillip Willoughby, Deputy Mayor
"As you are well aware that we are in the vicinity of the market. With that in mind now we are saying yes probably in some instance or some circumstances we would collect a peddler fee, but it is within that now and the Belize City master plan coming on stream. we have to interface and create the perfect structure as to how vendors will be operating within the city. Granted that probably we have been collecting or not have been collecting. But we are saying we are putting structure and order in place to regulate peddlers and vendors."

Willoughby said that the vendors are being asked to go to city council so that they can work together to find a way to work out the situation amicably without breaking the laws.