Vendors selling traditional ie lavalavas expressed their frustration this week as police officers actively chased them away from their selling spots. 

Many vendors claimed they were being unfairly targeted, citing a lack of necessary business licenses as the primary reason for the police intervention.

Fesilafai Viliamu, one of the owners of the ie business voiced his displeasure.

“The police should not chase us away because this business is what provides for our families. If they don’t want us to sell ie lavalavas, then how else can we make money for a living? Steal? Sell drugs?” he questioned.

Aneti Peni, who has operated his ie business for nearly a decade, also shared his concerns.

“We just mind our business and sell our ies to provide for our families. It is upsetting to see that the police are chasing us away, and it sounds like it is because of the stall owners inside the market themselves.” 

According to vendors, the police have instructed them to leave their selling areas, allegedly at the direction of stall owners within the nearby Fugalei Market. 

“The policeman told us that we are not allowed out here and have called the stalls inside the Fugalei Market to not allow us inside, but the ie’s inside the market are the same ones that are being sold outside,” said Viliamu Ah Sam.

Addressing concerns of unfair treatment, he noted, “If it is $50 or $100 for a stall a week, then we want them to tell SLC to collect the money from us and give us a receipt. We will pay.” 

He further questioned whether the police would also demand licenses from vendors selling water and fizzy drinks on the other side of the Fugalei market.

“There is no difference between us and those who are selling inside the market - they just have a stall, but we are selling the same goods," he said.

“This is our only source of income; it supports our families and our parents. What else are we supposed to do? The police even came this morning, it is upsetting,” he added. 

Ah Sam pointed out the younger children who are also selling their products around McDonalds.

“What about those children that are selling near McDonald’s who are underage? I’ve brought my children here during their school holidays to help out the business, but those children at McDonald’s are far younger than mine - those are who the police should worry about.”