The objectives of a clean, comfortable, vibrant market space have been achieved with the move to the new Shaw Park facility.

That’s the view of Karen Shaw, the chairman of the Market Relocation Committee, which oversaw the move from the Old Scarborough Market to Shaw Park. The longstanding market compound is slated for significant renovations, which should begin soon.

The temporary facility at Shaw Park was officially commissioned last week (July 5). The opening also marked the start of a night market at the facility.

Shaw said the new market space is about providing buyers with safe, quality food.

“Besides just physically moving the vendors and the vending area to Shaw Park, the committee identified two main objectives in making the move worthwhile,” she said.

Those objectives, she said, were creating a vibrant commercial space where vendors, customers and staff can be housed comfortably, and changing the existing culture to ensure all vendors have a fair opportunity to sell their goods.

“This event is long in coming, it has been a while; it has been talked about, discussed and strategised, as to how we would improve the market facility in Tobago, so this relocation is long coming but it is part of a journey that is ongoing,” Shaw said.