Market vendors in Lautoka hope Government will announce a stall fee subsidy in the 2020-2021 National Budget next week.
Lautoka Market Vendors Association president Filomena O’Neill said this was something more than 500 Sugar City vendors were looking forward to because of the daily struggles they faced in trying to sell their produce.
“Everyone knows and it is quite obvious that we are struggling just like any other business,” she said.
“So we are hoping Government will consider giving us subsidy on stall fees so our business can at least survive.
“This is all we are asking for. Most of us are struggling because a lot of our customers in the West are without work and these are people we rely on to give us business.
“Government should also consider installing user pay systems in our market so that stall fees are paid only when they are used by vendors.”
Ms O’Neill said vendors who were permanent stall holders continued to pay fees even though some of them had gone to their villages after being without business for the past few weeks.
She also added that part of their budget submission was to have their rural women vendors’ accommodation renovated as it flooded every time there was heavy rain in Lautoka.
