The flower vendors along Juan XXIII have been a part of many of Cartagena’s most important events. They are the last fresh flower stalls in the city centre. There are a few more in the municipality, near cemeteries like San Antonio Abad or along the Alameda de San Antón near the Escudo circle. Now, they are angry with the Cartagena City Council because of the new rules that have been put in place for them.
The Bambú flower shop, which has been in business for a long time, is against the new laws that the City Council put in place last week.
A message on social media has openly called out the mayor, Noelia Arroyo, saying that it is a “disgrace.”
They are talking about how last week, city personnel went to their stalls to limit the public road space where they can sell their goods.
They wonder if the firm will be able to stay open if they have less and less room for their merchandise.
They feel “shame and helplessness at what this City Council is doing” because they have cut down on the space available for sales and combined the four extra stalls. They need the space to store the buckets in which they sell flowers and small trees.
The proprietors of the flower store have been in the same place for more than ten years, and they find it funny that the local government is trying to help small companies keep their clientele. “Was this the answer to the drop in sales we’re seeing because there are four kiosks selling the same thing so close together?” they question. Taking away our public space, limiting our sales, and making us stay inside are all ways to keep those businesses going: four flower shops are less than 1.5 metres apart. They stress, “Is that how they help kiosks?”
They also say that the City Council has “outdone itself” in its plan to help small enterprises.
The City Council is working on changing the municipal ordinance right now
Before begging customers for help, both friends and political groups say that if things don’t change, there will be “more kiosks with two days left to close.”
It is important to remember that the Cartagena City Council is in the midst of updating the municipal ordinance that governs how kiosks can do business.
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The new municipal law greatly increases the types of operations that can take place in these public road booths. The goal is to make them more economically viable and bring additional services closer to neighbourhoods and districts.
The rule lets new services be added to newspaper sales, such as selling tickets, delivering and picking up packages, and recharging the urban bus card, to name a few.
Kiosks are also allowed to sell packaged drinks, capsule coffees, and ice creams, but only within the limits set for each type. They are not allowed to turn into hospitality establishments, which is still against the law unless they get special permission.
The law says that there are three kinds of kiosks: the classic kiosk, the artisanal ice cream kiosk, and the churro and fried pastry kiosk. Each type must meet certain health and technical standards. The concession system is set up so that anyone can utilise public property for private purposes. Bidding is required, and permissions are good for ten years, with the option to renew them for up to twenty years. The individual who holds the concession must run the kiosk themselves and can only hire two helpers.
Author: Derek Appleton
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