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Business owners raise concerns on street market
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Posted on Nov 09 2000
The Marianas Visitors Authority will meet with the Street Market Committee and different government agencies involved in the project to decide on the fate of the weekly street market activity.
MVA is funding the project until December 31 and it is uncertain whether it will continue providing financial assistance since it has been losing money since November 1999.
The evaluation of the street market would also take into consideration the complaints of owners of establishments and residents in Garapan on the alleged negative effects of the street market.
During a meeting with the police yesterday, some owners of establishments and residents complained about the garbage left behind during the evening. Parking, too, has become a problem as cars blocked people’s driveway.
“The idea behind the street market is to lure tourists and the community go gather in a certain place. But if it is not working and some people are not happy about it maybe, we have to go back to the drawing board,” said MVA Board Chair David M. Sablan.
MVA is already looking at the vacant space adjacent to the museum as an alternative area for the street market. Permanent huts will be built for the concessionaires.
The tourism agency provides $2,500 in weekly funding to the street market but it is only earning $1,000 from payment of concessionaires. “We are looking at how to make it a better tourist attraction but we have to do a lot of changes should we decide to continue this,” he added.
With the planned Garapan Revitalization Project, officials are looking at improving the island’s tourist district and the American Memorial Park.
