Vendors step up fight over rental contracts
Vendors at a Tseung Kwan O wet market closed their stalls for the second time in two weeks to demand that The Link Management extend their rental contracts.
The 78 vendors left their stalls at the Choi Ming wet market to protest outside Government House and the headquarters of The Link yesterday. Some carried banners reading: 'The Link's management is in chaos.'
They also chanted: 'The Link only cares about profit-making.' Some people were reduced to tears as they worried that they might be forced out of the market.
The Link, which runs a real estate investment trust, dumped the market's management, Goldrise Investment, and signed three-month contracts with the vendors.
'With such a short contract, how can we work out any plans for our business? It makes us very uneasy,' said Wong Wood-chi, chairman of the Choi Ming Market Association.
The vendors urged The Link to sign contracts allowing vendors to lease stalls for up to six years and review their rental rates in an open manner.
A spokesman for The Link said the three-month contract was only temporary. 'The Link will decide the appropriate rents for vendors within three months. The Link set up counters at the wet market to deal with inquiries from vendors.'
However, vendors were disappointed by the arrangement.
'The Link is only trying to buy time. They just want to delay renewing our contract,' Mr Wong said.
The vendors apologised for the inconvenience caused to the community and arranged shuttle buses to take residents to a nearby market so that they could buy food.
Many residents said they supported the protest because if The Link increased rents, they would also suffer as vendors would be forced to raise their prices.
Vendors dropped plans for another closure today. Last Thursday, they suspended operations to demand that The Link ensure a reasonable rent increase.
