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
15 comments
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October 25, 2008 at 5:40 pm
andrydago
Illegal Street selling is just another expression of the tremendous poverty which hits Madagascar. There is a basic economic principle which provides that: a country with too much sellers is a poor country. This is just the result of huge national misleadings!
October 26, 2008 at 2:33 pm
moonlightgirl
Very nice pics.
Nowadays , there no more room for people to walk on the sidewalk.
You’re right they’re really blocking the sidewalks.
Sometimes you have to practically walk in the middle of the street, avoiding not to step on the goods they’re selling.
October 27, 2008 at 3:42 am
romi
I think you have covered all the sides one can possibly take! I can relate to the street sellers having witnessed them in Argentina and Peru.
It’s amazing the speed with which they pick up their stuff and run when they hear the cop sirens. Or the coordinated efforts of one group of sellers advising the other groups by using signals and whistles that the cops are coming.
October 27, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Tahina
I find the story funny so I guess I’m a simple reader lol
The problem is that many free-tax manufacturers has closed their doors thus created a lot of unemployemnt. They have to live. The CUA said they were working on a big market place, I don’t know yet where exactly, that will host these street sellers soon.
October 27, 2008 at 3:33 pm
ariniaina
We can’t just tell them that they are not allowed to sell on the sidewalks, the gov should find a better place for them so they won’t loose their job.
October 29, 2008 at 10:27 am
moonlightgirl
But sometimes you know, even if the gov gives them a place to sell their goods. They don’t go there anyway. Sometimes the people are so stubborn.
It’s so difficult to deal with them.
October 29, 2008 at 3:11 pm
ariniaina
that’s because the gov gave them a place where no customers come.
October 30, 2008 at 9:03 am
dagomc
You know what! there’s a way to get rid of them, I mean just to clean up your way! …. you just scream “FIVONDRONANEEEE!!!!” And they’ll go out of your way! lol
October 31, 2008 at 4:08 pm
ariniaina
aha DAGOMC, I can see that you’re just someone who wanna reach another place and unfortunately has to pass “through” those sellers lol
November 2, 2008 at 3:24 pm
simp
The easiest way to get rid of them would be to forbid the people to buy anything from them. 🙂
But I guess that’s a political suicide for the mayor, on top of the fact that it could be anti-constitutional 😛
November 2, 2008 at 3:26 pm
simp
sady mba ataovy ngozangoza ilay sary e
mangateta ambony lakana be ny mpankafy lol
😉
November 3, 2008 at 4:06 pm
ariniaina
ao fa ataoko ngeza io am manaraka 😉
November 5, 2008 at 10:16 pm
eduardo ávila
Yes, we have the same issue in Bolivia. Great job on your blog, I am finally discovering it now from Joan.
🙂
November 6, 2008 at 3:07 pm
ariniaina
thx to all for stopping by 😉
November 10, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Joan
peddlers peddlers … lomelle also wrote a post last spring but this time it took place in majunga : http://as2coeur.wordpress.com/2008/04/15/vendeur-mandehandeha/ ok well…it looked less chaotic but what is Tana without chaos?
ok well I was supposed to start a thread on the importance of informal sectors in urban environment but I know simp is just fed up with my spamming already