‘Samoan Housing is best location for market’

I agree that a public market is long overdue, but I signed the petition in support of having the planned market at the Garapan Fishing Base before knowing of the alternate site that the Governor is proposing—the Samoan Housing—which is also in Garapan.

I believe that our fishermen and farmers should be given the best location available where their catch and produce can best be sold locally. With past experiences, though, I also believe that having other vendors, such as craftsmen, artists, food vendors, etc., be within the same location in order to invite other customers, aside from those looking for something to cook, would be best. For this, and the following, that I think that the best location to have the market is at the Samoan Housing and not the Garapan Fishing Base.

1. The Samoan Housing is but a walking distance from some of the biggest hotels on island, three to be exact. It will enable tourists from these hotels to also utilize the market. It will not be the same, should it be placed at the Garapan Fishing Base, because of the distance, and therefore, minimal income that will be collected from our tourists by the vendors, farmers and fishermen there.

2. Daily activities for the two sites will be different. At the Garapan Fishing Base, vendors may want to open early but they will also have to consider the ongoing church activities across the street, especially if a funeral is ongoing. With the Samoan Housing, you will not be hampered by activities from nearby. You can do almost anything within the scope of operating a market as you deem fit. Us customers can do likewise.

3. With the beautiful white sandy beach at the Samoan Housing, anyone can easily just buy what to barbecue or eat from the several selections at the market and walk down to the beach and have a nice and enjoyable picnic with the kids. The kids will enjoy it more since they can swim at the same time. Very different from the Garapan Fishing Base, where it is rocky and sort of polluted.

4. Again, with the hotels nearby, the Samoan Housing may even accommodate the weekly Street Market and the annual Food Fair. It will be an even bigger plus for the local vendors and customers alike, including, but not limited to our tourists.

Although costs have been incurred for the market to be at the Garapan Fishing Base, I ask that we all look at the benefits our farmers, fishermen, artists, food vendors, etc., will get should it be placed at a much better location, Samoan Housing. At the same time, we should not forget what we, the people, will also have available for us at this prime location.

Wilfred S. Reyes
Dandan, Saipan