The city government of Santiago under new mayor Abel Martinez has dedicated many days to reorganizing the public areas, including the removal of street vendor shacks to restore pedestrian mobility. The city officers have met with resistance mostly from undocumented Haitian vendors that occupy sidewalks, streets and other spaces. The Haitians have taken over street sales previously carried out by Dominicans, the first to leave when the mayor ordered streets of the historic city center to be cleared.
Grey Núñez, spokesman for the city government of Santiago, said that now most of the vendors are Haitians who resist being removed and return once the authorities look the other way. Núñez explained the vendors are unfair competition to the stores that offer the same articles but follow city and government regulations and pay taxes.
Núñez, nevertheless, said the city government of Santiago would respect the tradition that has always allowed street vendors to take over the city for the sale of Christmas goods, such as fruits and candies, traditional of the holidays. He said the authorization is seasonal only for those who sell these products on Avenida Las Carrereas.
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Listin Diario
21 November 2017
