Sabalu Market vendors oppose Kagman move

Over 70 vendors at Sabalu Market have signed a petition opposing their transfer from the Garapan Fishing Base to Kagman II starting April 27.

The petition, initiated by Patelyn Camacho of V&P Marianas Bubosi General Merchandise and Local Produce, instead want the weekend open-air market to relocate to the Marianas Business Plaza in Susupe, Garapan Roundhouse, or the Sugar King Park. About 30 vendors said they’re also preparing to set up their own Saturday market outside the Sabalu Market.

The Division of Parks and Recreation, which is in charge of the Sabalu Market, said a lot of reasons were factored in the decision to move the Sabalu Market to Kagman II.

“There are some issues recently about debris going into the water. When fishermen go out, there’s always trash from the Sabalu Market. But we cannot blame the folks at Sabalu Market because a lot of people use that area too. Another issue is that the Sabalu Market is competing with the boaters with parking. When they go out to launch to go fishing, when the Sabalu Market is going on, there’s parking issue also,” said Parks & Rec director Michael Cruz.

Camacho and other Sabalu Market vendors, however, appear to be firm in not moving to Kagman II.

“I wouldn’t risk it as a vendor, to go that far and my Sabalu Market clients told me already that they wouldn’t go. So, sad to say, but I will stop for a while and perhaps just use social media to sell my crops and stuff. With due respect, some tent rental companies also told us too that they would raise payment. I respect the decision but we just hope that they should’ve included vendors in a forum or open discussion regarding this matter. This is one of the things in life that comes and I don’t have control. I will stop and wait for a closer location rather than Kagman II,” said Camacho.

Vendor Esterlita Camacho of Magbers shared that their booth has been involved in the Sabalu Market for over 20 years and has a loyal and steady flow of customers every Saturday.

“For us vendors like Magbers, it’s actually not going to affect us because we do not plan to open in Kagman. One is gas, for sure. It’s expensive. We’re staying in Koblerville and we’re not about to drive all the way to Kagman. Our customers are not happy about it.”

She added that she understands the predicament about trash, but in reality, the site doesn’t have enough trashcans for attendees in the first place, other than one donated bin at each end of the Sabalu Market ground.

Kasy Santos, of Tuhu’s Produkun Lancheru, has mixed emotion about the move toKagman. “We live in As Teo, so it’s close for us.”

However, her main issue is about the abrupt announcement.

“We pay a weekly fee, so maybe they could’ve spent a little bit of that money to inform the community when moving to a certain area. It was really short notice. I mean there should be an e-mail list or something for vendors and then that way they can also make customers aware.”

Felisa Brel Teliu, a regular customer at Sabalu Market, said the current Sabalu Market is already an ideal location that’s convenient for everyone.

“These vendors are here to make ends meet. They’re mainly here to make money and not to harm the environment. There are some plastics that fly away when customers come and buy and they put it on the table and the wind blows them off. What we can do to help the problem is put some barriers or nets on the trees to prevent the flying plastics and maybe have the volunteers pick up those plastics later on. And for the boats, I can see that too, it’s very congested. If they can maybe just ward off a spot there for the boaters. Just put a cone or a sign there for the boats. This is the best spot for the Sabalu Market. It’s closer to everybody and to move it to Kagman…these guys are going to have to spend more money instead of making money,” she said.

Local Girls Marianas’ Ashley Pangelinan and Tiara Deleon Guerrero said as residents of Kagman, they wouldn’t mind Sabalu Market being closer to the village

“I think it’s fine, especially for people that live in Capitol Hill, Tapochau, and Kagman. People are probably complaining about going over there, but we must also think about the people from Kagman coming over here, too, you know?” said Pangelinan

“Okay, well, firstly, of course, we’re excited because Ashley’s family is in Kagman, so it’s a lot easier for us to procure a spot earlier. So, like, personally, it might be a little easier, and it’s a new location, but I do understand our fellow vendors’ concerns, because Sabalu historically has always been somewhere central for the whole island… I do think that I do like that Sabalu’s central, normally, when it’s in Susupe or here in Garapan. However, I do think that whether Sabalu stays in Kagman or not, Kagman does deserve to have at least some type of market, whether it’s Sabalu or its own. I mean, agriculture’s there, so maybe it would be nice if we had, like, a more agriculture-centered type of a market,” said Deleon Guerrero.

Food vendor Abe Luis Iglesias told Saipan Tribune, “The problem with us going to Kagman II is that place isn’t as busy. I used to work at a construction site there and the roads don’t really have that much activity, so people wouldn’t see the vendors. If they were to, like, send us over there, nobody’s getting business. It’ll keep us from earning our own money. The place is just going to be dead.”

Several other individuals, who asked to remain anonymous, pointed out that not only will the market be too far for vendors, most of the customers came on taxi and taxi fare to Kagman won’t be cheap.

One customer even shared, “I only need to buy $2 worth of soup, I’m not going to go all the way up to Kagman. But if I’m in here, anywhere near here, whether in Susupe or Navy Hill, I can just stop by here to buy $2 worth of soup. But to go to Kagman for $2 soup, I don’t think so.”

A farmer, who asked not to be identified, shared that for some of them their sales fluctuate, “preparing your items mostly the whole day of Friday and just selling maybe $50 or nothing.” They said that the amount of gas versus profit doesn’t seem worth it if they move to Kagman.

Meanwhile, Park & Rec’s Cruz said the move to Kagman would also help with congestion at the Sabalu Market and will actually help his staff conduct inspections.

“It’s a challenge doing an inspection of permits because everybody’s lying next to each other.”

He added that they’ve looked at several other locations from Garapan Central Park, to the Civic Center, to the CPA Airport Field, and the Koblerville Youth Center, but with other events taking place at these sites, the road construction, and parking situations, the Kagman site seemed the most ideal.

“That’s three times the size of the Garapan Fishing Base and I saw an opportunity because that’s one of the biggest residential villages on the island. I was thinking to try and bring the market to the Kagman people,” he said.

Cruz added that the Kagman II location near the Kagman Health Clinic will not be a permanent site for the Sabalu Market.

“Maybe later on, within a month, we can move it around. It all depends on the situation. If it’s working good up there, we’ll do a survey in two weeks with every vendor. We’re trying to put Sabalu Market inland, meaning away from the coastal area, because of the issue with the environmental, with the debris going in the water.”

In regards to Kagman’s distance relative to the center of the island, Cruz offered this solution. “I’m working with the Commonwealth Office of Transit Authority to do a route for Kagman for only the Sabalu Market and we’re getting positive feedback. Hopefully it goes through so people that don’t have access to vehicles down here can make their way up to the market.”