Fish vendors in the Pantai Kelapa area of Bebonuk suku (village), Dom Aleixo Administrative Post, Dili Municipality, continue to sell fish on the seafront because they say the spaces provided by the government in the capital’s markets are unsuitable for them to make a living.
Fish vendor Agapito Soares said the government had decided to move vendors from the seafront to Manleuana Market, but conditions there were unsuitable for selling fish.
“We went there, but the site wasn’t suitable. Only a few people came to buy fish, so we asked the Bebonuk Suku Chief to let us keep selling here on the seafront,” Agapito said on the Bebonuk seafront in Dili.
He said authorities, including the State Secretariat for Toponymy and Urban Organisation (SEATOU), had tried to remove the vendors, but local leaders stepped in to resolve the situation.
“They came to remove us, but the Suku Chief explained the situation to them, so they left,” he said.
Agapito said the main problem was the lack of proper facilities to store fish and keep it fresh.
“We must sell all the fish we catch on the same day. Otherwise, it will spoil by tomorrow because we have nowhere to store it properly,” he said.
He added that if the government wanted to relocate the vendors, it first needed to provide a site with storage, refrigeration and market access to customers.
Bebonuk Suku Chief Alfredo da Costa confirmed he had given fish vendors temporary permission to continue selling on the seafront so they would not lose their income.
“I gave them permission to sell here for now while we wait for the government to prepare a suitable site,” Alfredo said.
He said fish could only be kept for a short time and that some of it would spoil by the next day if it was not sold. He added that the lack of a suitable site made it difficult for vendors to earn a living.
He said that once the government provides adequate facilities, he would speak to the vendors again about moving to an authorised and organised site.
Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão acknowledged there was still no clear solution. He said many fish vendors continued to sell along roads and in public spaces, which could create problems for urban planning and public health.
“We’ve issued licences to companies to catch fish, but once they’ve caught it, there’s nowhere to store it and keep it safe,” the Prime Minister said.
He also warned about unhygienic practices, such as rinsing unsold fish that was no longer fresh and putting it back on sale the following day.The Prime Minister asked the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries to prioritise addressing the problem by providing suitable infrastructure, including modern markets, refrigeration systems and distribution facilities.
