Drivers on the nation’s roads cannot help but notice the increased number of persons vending on the highways, often in very dangerous conditions. It is even worse now at Christmas time, as people hustle to make ends meet to provide for themselves and family, during the Yuletide season. Anyone who followed the parliamentary debate four years ago on the new Vendors’ Bill will wonder why it is taking so long to provide the safe spaces and enhanced environment proposed for vendors.
When the National Vending Act was passed in December 2021, it was rightly described as a landmark moment for Barbados. For the first time, vending was formally recognised as a legitimate economic activity rather than an informal, tolerated necessity. The Act represented a commitment to fairness, security, and opportunity for hundreds of Barbadians who make their living on the streets, beaches, and roadside verges. Now, as another December closes, it is timely to ask what is the status of the promise made to our vendors.
A long-awaited step towards dignity
For decades, informal vendors operated in a climate of anxiety. Many dealt with uncertainty about where they could set up, fear of confiscation of goods, or even the threat of prosecution. As recently as the late 2010s, vending without a licence could result in criminal charges. This created an unfair and disproportionate burden on low-income earners whose only “offence” was trying to earn an honest living. The 2021 Act was therefore transformative: it removed criminal penalties and replaced them with administrative fines, offering greater clarity and fairness.
The legislation also guaranteed key protections. Vendors were promised at least 30 days’ notice before relocation, the right to appeal a decision, and compensation if their goods were damaged by authorities. It established a national vendor registry to bring greater order and transparency to the sector. In principle, these provisions were expected to usher in a new era of dignity, predictability, and structure.
The everyday reality: Roadside vending and the risks Bajans face
The Act offered so much to uplift a sector occupied by ordinary, working-class Barbadians. It cannot be acceptable in an era of enhanced accountability, governance and transparency that policies and programmes intended to improve the lives and livelihoods of the marginalised will take forever to be implemented. According to the proverbial saying ‘while the grass is growing the horse is starving’.
Many vendors lack the resources to improve their operations, resulting in high levels of unstructured roadside vending. This has implications not only for aesthetics or regulation, but also for personal and public safety. These challenges are not the fault of vendors. They are the direct outcome of a system that has legalised vending but has not yet enabled vendors to trade safely, sustainably, or with dignity. Without financial support, a proper marketplace, or infrastructure, roadside vending remains the only viable option for too many.
Imagine “Marlon” the vendor setting up at 5:30 a.m. on a blind corner to catch early commuters. He has no shelter, no designated space, and no sanitation facilities. Cars rush past at speed. Rain or extreme heat exposes him to the elements. The goods are vulnerable to spoilage, theft, or being damaged by passing vehicles. For customers, the risks are equally clear: unsafe parking spots, limited visibility, and poor lighting in early morning or late evening.
The Vending Act gave Marlon hope. He imagined applying for a licence, securing a small loan to buy a proper tent, storage containers, and protective equipment, and eventually moving into a designated vending zone.
However, none of that has been possible. He has no fixed address to satisfy complex loan application requirements, and his cash-based system means he lacks the formal financial statements required by traditional lenders. Without a dedicated credit programme and without structured vending areas accessible at reasonable cost, he remains on the roadside — exposed to unpredictable weather, traffic hazards, and uneven enforcement. His business survives, but it cannot grow. His earnings fluctuate with tourism traffic and weather events. The promise of the Act feels incomplete.
This is the story of many Barbadians whose entrepreneurial spirit is strong, but whose opportunities are constrained by structural gaps.
Earlier this year, an official from the Ministry of Energy and Business was quoted in the press, giving the assurance that an aggressive rollout of vending zones will happen in 2025 acknowledging the safety problem, but until those zones are constructed and operationalised, the hazard persists. We are now at the end of the year!
What Barbados must now do
As policymakers, business advocates, and development partners consider 2026 priorities, this issue must be brought back to the forefront. To unlock the full potential of the Vendors’ Act, Barbados must:
Establish a dedicated Vendor Loan Fund with low interest, simplified requirements, and flexible repayment conditions, potentially utilising social collateral (group lending) or cash-flow history.
Develop modern, well-lit vending zones across high-traffic areas, designed with sanitation, shelter, and security in mind. This is a critical infrastructure investment that must be prioritised.
Launch a nationwide vendor registration and financial literacy campaign so that all vendors understand their rights, responsibilities, and financing options, specifically teaching them how to use digital platforms to build credit history.
These reforms will not only enhance safety and dignity but would also strengthen the micro and small business sector, increase tax fairness, reduce informality, and create a pipeline of micro entrepreneurs ready to scale.
The Vending Act was a bold and progressive milestone in 2021. It signalled respect for a historically marginalised sector and promised opportunity. Laws are however only as effective as the systems that support them. As the Act enters its fifth year, Barbados has an opportunity — and an obligation — to honour its spirit.
Vendor-specific financing, safer trading spaces, and structured development pathways are not luxuries; they are necessities for inclusive growth. Elevating vendors elevates families, communities, and the wider economy.
Let 2026 be the year we finally deliver the promise made in 2021.
The Small Business Association of Barbados (www.sba. bb) is the non-profit representative body for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
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