The closure of the main market in town which is also described as the “heartbeat” of Port Vila City for over a week has now been extended to at least a month amidst the Coronavirus pandemic that now claims 86, 979 lives globally.
“Port Vila Municipal Council will use the time to correct the hygiene deficiencies at the Market House,” City Clerk Peter Sakita said.
It is now a widely held fact that poor hygiene spreads coronavirus and PVMC has to address the hygiene, cleanliness, social distancing issues because the Port Vila markets attracts hundreds of people daily.
“New water sinks will be erected, drainage will be improved, old tables the mother use to sell their vegetables will be replaced as well as broken tiles, the parking will area will be improved, the pavements repaired, the whole market house repainted and social distancing addressed - positioning of vendors in relation to other vendors and a distance between sellers and their customers established,” the town clerk said.
The Silai Vanua Mama’s Association, which is responsible for vendors in Port Vila, have agreed with the Port Vila Municipal proposals.
Plans to reduce the number of vendors at the Seaside Market has been lifted and now more tables will be available to accommodate the demand of vendors and their food crops and greens to feed the demand in town.
“Port Vila Municipal is mindful of the need of generating economic activity for mothers outside Port Vila but what’s at stake now is our preparedness towards the COVID 19 virus,” Mr Sakita said.
The main market may open at the end of this month.
Photo supplied