PROTEST erupted outside the CEPEP Headquarters in Chaguanas yesterday after a group of disgruntled street vendors objected to being omitted from a list of those entitled to a spot at the soon-to-be-opened vendors facility.

Vendors were summoned to draw for lots to occupy booths at the site of the old Chaguanas Health Centre which is being prepared for a December 10 opening.

But as the process got underway, about 20 vendors objected.

Mayor Orlando Nagessar said: "When I enquired, I (was made to) understand that a good few names were left out so I aborted the pulling of lots until next week Tuesday."

He said, "We had asked their association to get a list of names of all the vendors on the streets for us. This morning, when we were in the process of pulling lots, some of them were not allowed to come upstairs because only those names that were on the list were allowed to pull.

"I asked the association to clean up their list and get those who are omitted back on the list. They are very happy with that decision."

Nagessar said he discovered that there were some names on the list which should not have been there.

"So we asked the association to get those names off and put the legitimate vendors on. The association is fully aware of who all the vendors are."

He said, "There are some vendors who are there every day, some who come on a weekend, some who come only at Christmas time, some who come on Saturday and Sunday and some are seasonal vendors. So it was difficult for them to get all the names on the list. This afternoon we understand that there are 300-plus vendors."