All market vendors vending at the Port Vila market in 2024, must consent to using scales, said Manager of the Port Vila Market, Sacha Watt.
According to Mr. Watt, the management, together with Price Monitoring and Consumer Affairs (PMCA), have made adjustments to market permit application forms for 2024.
“If the vendors want to renew their permits or to apply for a new one next year, the form provides that they must consent to, and comply with the usage of scale,” said Mr. Watt.
Silae Vanua Market Vendors Association President, Jeanette Wallace, confirmed on behalf of the market vendors that they too are on board with this decision.
Wallace believes that the trainings conducted with over 100 vendors after the launching of the scale system on how to use it, is informative enough, and all vendors selling at the Port Vila Market have been informed to use the scale next year.
The launching of the scale system introduced by the PMCA with the Port Vila City Council (PVCC), was done earlier this year on July, however, the market manager acknowledged that not all the vendors have been using it.
He stated that since the launching, the initial price list for the products set by PMCA have been reviewed and changed, allowing the market vendors to sell without using the scale, but are monitored every morning by the manager to make sure that they do not price their goods beyond the reviewed prices.
He added that since the launching, two more trainings have been conducted with over 100 attendees, and further 70 vendors on the 17th of August 2023.
In a recent interview with the Vanuatu Daily Post, Mr. Watt also disclosed that the PVCC and market management have bought electronic scales, currently in possession of the management, to be used by vendors next year.
Mr. Watt stated that the electronic scales are much easier to use compared to the manual ones, so all market vendors will be expected to use it as of next year.
