Torit Traders Reject Hasty Relocation To New Market
Elisabeth Janaina
Torit Traders Reject Hasty Relocation To New Market
Traders in Torit have rejected the hasty mayoral order demanding their immediate relocation to the new market in a period of seven days.
TORIT, 30 January 2014 [Gurtong] – All operators of shops, beauty salons, groceries and petty restaurants in the eastern part of Omoliha Market adjacent to Hai Batari are ordered to transfer to the new Torit Model Market.
The traders say a vehicle with thunderous announcement music system hit the entire market of Omoliha, announcing that each trader should move with their commodities to the newly established Torit Model Market.
Speaking to several traders, local and foreigner nationals, the business community opposes the hasty nature of the order, saying if the state and town authorities do not want them to invest there, they should be told.
They said their complaint is the limited time given for them to relocate to the new market which they said would force them to defy the order.
The traders urge the government to give them more time for them to build structures in the new market to safely sell and store their commodities.
“We don’t have a problem. What is still missing is a timely communication from the office of the Mayor,” a trader lamented. “Timely communication is important and helpful. We are not against the transfer but did they inform us or give us time to reorganize and transfer the bulky goods like ours?”
The traders in a joint statement said: “We are so sorry, and we don’t have words to describe the move. We need the authorities to sit together with us.. Once that happens, we will find an appropriate solution to this existing problem.”
Despite this rejection, some market dwellers especially those selling vegetables relocated to the new market in December last year.
The traders at Hai Batari of Omoliha East Market moved to three different locations namely; Torit Model Market, Shouk Kedim (Old Market) along Juba highway and Malakia Market.
Following laxity in effecting the previous order, some traders returned to the old market prompting the Mayor to issue a fresh Local Order No. 04/2014 for the transfer of the Market to Torit Market Model.