Stabroek News
April 7, 2001

Chief Justice Desiree Bernard has reserved her decision in the appeal brought to the High Court by the Water Street vendors against the Mayor and City Council.

Her decision is expected to end the long-running battle between the vendors and the council over the occupation of the Water Street pavement.

On October 20, 2000, Justice Bernard had ordered the vendors to remove their stalls after 6:00 pm every day. She had given them until last year December to comply with the order.

However, when the matter was called, attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes, who represents the vendors, had presented arguments in support of a motion brought by one of them requesting that Chief Justice Bernard grant a 38-day stay of the order for them to find places to store their stalls. He had argued that it took some time before the vendors were allowed a meeting with the mayor and at that meeting they were told the council had nowhere for them to store their stalls.

He had said that his clients had no difficulty complying with the order but had nowhere to store their collapsible stalls. He contended that some of the vendors had already built stands.

After hearing lengthy arguments, from Senior Counsel Keith Massiah, for the council, and Hughes, Justice Bernard suggested that she would hear the appeal and dispose of the matter once and for all.

She had given the undertaking that the matter would be disposed of speedily without any delay.