22 vendors to benefit from new lease-to-own vending units

In a move aimed at regularising vending in Castries, the Castries Constituency Council (CCC) has launched a new “lease-to-own” initiative for 22 mobile vending caravans to “empower small business operators,” according to officials. 

The arrangement, which was officially formalised during a brief ceremony at the CCC on September 17, will allow selected vendors to eventually own their vending units outright.

Castries Central MP Richard Frederick, who has championed several vendor-focused infrastructure projects since taking office, said the initiative reflects the council’s commitment to creating orderly, dignified spaces for vendors to operate while reducing red tape.

“We are today declaring that we are handing over the caravans to 22 ordinary Saint Lucians on a lease-to-own basis,” Frederick said.

Under the terms of the arrangement, each vendor will lease their assigned caravan for a period of three and a half years, paying $1,800 monthly. At the end of the lease period, once all payments have been completed, ownership of the caravan will be transferred to the vendor for $1.

“That is how you empower people,” Frederick said. 

“Nobody needs to go for a loan. Nobody needs to get security. Nobody needs to face a bank… we approve you right here, as long as you are a law-abiding citizen of this country.”

One of the key conditions of the agreement is that vendors must insure the caravan under both their name and the name of the Castries City Council for the duration of the lease term.

The initiative comes in response to longstanding issues surrounding unregulated and ad hoc vending in the capital. Frederick emphasised the need for balance between supporting vendors and maintaining public order in shared urban spaces.

“All we want done is to conduct business in a calm and law-abiding environment,” he said.

“There are rules, and all rules need to be obeyed. So it’s not about not supporting vendors.”

The MP pointed to the ongoing complaints from pedestrians, motorists, and business owners about vending congestion along the city’s busy Boulevard. He said the caravans — custom-designed, mobile vending units — represent a tangible solution that benefits all parties.

“I hope that some of those caravans can create generational changes in terms of the fortunes of the poor people in this country,” he said. 

“So that at some point they can go on to own bigger businesses, compliments [of] the caravan.”

The CCC says the 22 selected vendors were chosen based on eligibility criteria that focused on their law-abiding status and commitment to proper vending practices. The Council will retain partial ownership of the caravans until the lease agreements are fully completed.