By Elbie Sebleh
PAYNESVILLE: Marketers in the densely populated Commercial District of Redlight in Paynesville have alarmed that they have almost been overwhelmed by mountains of garbage which are oozing unhygienic smells.
The marketers told our correspondent Monday, February 26,2024 in the Redlight market and its environs that the smells of the garbage are exposing them to life-threatening and communicable diseases.
According to the marketers, for several months, garbage in the Redlight market has not been collected for disposal.
They explained that every part of the Redlight Market has been effectively awash by dirt, as such, most buyers avoid going into the market facilities where various food and other essential commodities are being sold.
The marketers said, the dirt should have been removed and subsequently taken to the appropriate garbage disposal area which is far from the market facilities by the Paynesville City Government, but it has not done so for several months.
The marketers, predominately women and children said due to the excessive contamination of the Redlight market and its environs, not much buyers go there although representatives of the market officials collect garbage disposal fees from them on a daily basis.
They collect L$100 from owner of a each market table per day, the marketers further explained.
The aggrieved marketeers told our correspondent that as a result of the excessive contaminated condition of the market environment, buyers prefer to buy food and other commodities in some areas with limited garbage stockpiles for health and other hygienic reasons.
The situation is also posing damage to many of our food commodities such as pepper, bitter balls, fish, among others.
In an interview with few of the marketeers, Augustine Flomo frowned at the unsanitary situation at the Redlight market and its surrounding areas.
He explained that the stockpiles of garbage are causing serious embarrassment for both sellers and buyers in terms of the risks being posed to the health of all.
” If the rescue mission cannot come to rescue us from this life-threatening situation, we will be constrained to launch a sustained but peaceful protest against the Paynesville City Government that has been failing to dispose of the garbage,” Flomo said.
The Paynesville City Government is yet to comment on the stockpiles of garbage in the Redlight market area.
Another marketer who identified herself as Jovita Fofana, disclosed that though she owns a store in the market area, she has not been doing her business there because most customers are not willing to stand in the dirt even for a minute to buy anything from her store taking into consideration the contaminated environment in which the store is situated.
Madam Fofana narrated that she is now experiencing economic hardship.
She sorrowfully indicated that as a result of the situation to pay her rent, send her children to school and meet other basic family needs has become extremely challenging for her.
“Customers are complaining that they have ‘short breaths’ and cannot stand being at a dirt site even for one minute, and I am missing money because of this,” she explained.
She also stated that the dirt has been at their selling place since October 2023.
At the same time, member of the rubber dishes association of Liberia, Agatha Kermue stressed the need for the Paynesville City Council to intervene in bringing much need health relief to the marketers.
She asserted that though it is understandable that a new government has taken over the country, but there should be a swift action to remove the dirt.
On the other hand, Sangai Dunbar, president of the Women Beyond Border Association decried that her organization is currently in court for rent payment because it has choked them and there is no further means of getting money because businesses are not going.
Madam Dunbar explained that the organization pays over Hundred Thousand United States Dollars per year for rent and now they cannot afford such rent payment because customers are not doing business with them as a result of the contaminated environment in which they are operating
