You are currently browsing the daily archive for October 25th, 2008.
I think that the gov should have reacted since December (during Christmas and New Year festivities) when those sellers started to settle the sidewalks of the city. Now, it becomes hard for them to handle out this problem of sellers blocking the streets.
If you are on the side of the gov, you will understand that such activities are not allowed. So now the “Commune Urbaine d’Antananarivo” has warmed those sellers that within few days they will be obliged to enforce the law and punish those “street sellers”. Some guys from the Fivondronana already started again the “hide and seek” party with those “outlaws”. This is how it is going on. The sellers come with the goods they are going to sell in a big bag (sobika). If someone notices the Fivondronana’s truck, they quickly grab this bag and run away. After a while, they will be back when the Fivondronana will be away.
If you are on the side of the sellers, you will understand that this is their job, their source of income because those men and women have their families to feed and their bills to pay.
If you are on the side of the customers, you will agree with those “street sellers” because you have the opportunity to do your shopping on the way back home just after work.
If you are on the side of a simple pedestrian, you will be upset because you will have to go on the streets since the sidewalks are blocked.
If you are a car driver, you will be completely mad because of the heavy traffic that this “business” brings.
Well, if you are a simple reader and have never met those “street sellers” of Antananarivo (Behoririka, Analakely, Mahamasina, Anosy, 67Ha…), you may find this story funny.
ariniaina
Sunday (October 19th,2008), my brother, my sister and her husband and I went to Imerintsiatosika. For those who do not know it, Imerintsiatosika is well known for its carting and scooters’ races. So, Sunday, it was the scooter-riders championship of Mada. All my relatives and I are found of scooters so we never miss such event.
On the way to Imerintsiatosika (30km from Tana –National Road #1), we could already meet many groups of scooter riders. Well, I have to say that this event is more for young people.
We arrived at the place at 1.00p.m, the first part of the race was over. This first part was a race of 400 meters between 2 riders.
The second part started at 2.30 p.m., so we prepared some sandwiches for lunch. I could notice that THB (the best local beer) was the special drink on that day. Well, girls were more Fresh than beer, especially because of the new flavor of Fresh that STAR offered (Apple, Raspberry, Mint) apart from the usual one (Panache). I like the Apple. Yeah, but I still prefer the original one. 
So, at 2.30p.m., we went to the tribune to follow the race. This second part was a race of 2 km between a group of 16 riders .A few minutes after the first try (because there is a try before the real race), some guys started to fight just near our seats. My sister ran away but I had time to turn my video camera on and shoot the fight. My brother was so happy. He could not believe I could be courageous and stayed there. lol For legally reason, I am afraid, I would not upload the video. Here is the reason of the fight. A guy accidentally dropped a bottle of beer at the back of another guy. This last got angry even if the first guy apologized. So they started to argue and ended up with punches, kicks, swear words.
Back to the scooter race, I am personally glad that such event can happen here in Madagascar. And I tell you, some riders are amazingly good. It is so exciting to see all of those young guys who try to manage by themselves to take part into the race. You know, it is not like abroad or like car races where each participant has their own technicians, manager, coach. Here, they do everything (fixing, training, clothing, paying the participation fees…) by their own or with the help of a few friends and the encouragement of relatives.
Of course, there was an ambulance and a nursery (just in case). Fortunately, there were no serious crash, only little surgeries.
On the way back home, we could see scooters every where . It was so cool. Well, there were some unlucky people who got their scooters broken down. Some drove dangerously fast. Some stopped for a while for more beers, some others for some katsaka (corn) or flitters.
ariniaina
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