There appears to be “some light at the end of the tunnel” with regard to the controversy over the relocation of the Valletta open-air market (monti), as the government and Union Haddiema Maghqudin (UHM) will be meeting again, possibly on Monday, to find a workable solution to the situation, UHM manufacturing and services section secretary Nicholas Baldacchino told this newspaper yesterday evening.

Throughout this past week, the 115 street hawkers that operate the Valletta market refused to put up their stalls at St James Ditch – the temporary site for the market as proposed by the government while new paving was being laid along the market’s original site in Merchants Street.

Mr Baldacchino said that following a phone call between Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and UHM secretary general Gejtu Vella, the two parties agreed to meet again. Dr Gonzi is expected to present new proposals, although the union does not yet know what these consist of.

Meanwhile, UHM decided that the street hawkers should cool off for the weekend and spend some time with their families. Although they spent the past five days at the entrance to St James Ditch, refusing to put up their stalls as a sign of protest, Mr Baldacchino said the hawkers will not spend the day at the ditch this weekend, as they await a positive outcome from the meetings that are expected to be held between the government and the union that represents them.

Earlier yesterday however, the union had announced that it was preparing for possible sympathy action, by means of which it would use “numerical strength by calling on workers in sensitive places” to take industrial action in sympathy with the Valletta street hawkers who operate the open-air market.

UHM secretary general Gejtu Vella addressed the hawkers at the entrance to St James Ditch yesterday morning, just before leading the third protest march in a week.

Mr Vella said different workers’ committees had already started getting together to prepare for possible sympathy action. The union had also filed a judicial protest (see report below), against the authorities, claiming that the government’s decision to temporarily relocate the open-air market to St James Ditch and permanently relocate it further down Merchants Street, was illegal and posed a threat to the hawkers’ health and safety.

Claiming that the government was showing a lack of goodwill to find decent solutions to the problem, Mr Vella had urged the hawkers to follow the union’s instructions. He said the union truly believed in the contribution of micro-enterprise.

The government’s proposals for alternative temporary sites for the open-air market – which include the area in St James Ditch that was closer to City Gate, an area close to Fort St Elmo, or the stretch in Merchants Street between Archbishop Street and St Christopher Street – were only urgent proposals that were not intended as a means to find decent solutions, said Mr Vella.

The UHM, which represents all of the 115 Valletta street hawkers, said that by moving the open-air market further down Merchants Street for reasons that have not yet been explained clearly, the government was threatening the livelihood of the street hawkers and their families.

The street hawkers were the centre of attraction in Valletta for a good two hours yesterday morning, as they marched along the packed streets of the capital.

Of noteworthy significance was the presence of two children forming part of the protesting group, who held posters that read “Arrogant govt” and “Telliftulna gurnata xoghol ohra” (thanks to you, we lost another day of work).

Using the same posters they used during the other two protest marches held on Tuesday and Wednesday, the hawkers implored heavenly assistance, chanting “Henn ghalina Mulej, henn ghalina” (Lord have mercy on us) and at one point they also sang John Bundy’s Pajjiz tal-Mickey Mouse, which originated about 10 years ago, and which many still use to describe ridiculous situations in the country.

Using fog horns, whistles and even a large drum, they sat down in the middle of the street in front of Auberge de Castille, chanting “U ara kif gibtuna” (look at the situation you have led us into) and “Bil-familji u minghajr xoghol” (we have families, but no work).

As they left Castille Place, the hawkers even chanted “Ahna lkoll nhallsu l-VAT” (we all pay VAT).

The hawkers spent a good half-hour in Merchants Street alone, where they sat in the middle of the street and chanted “Minghajrna xi dwejjaq haw’” (it is dreary without us here), and “Nergghu nigu narmaw haw’” (we will come back here to put up our stalls).

While the delegation from UHM filed the judicial protest at about 11.30am, the hawkers gathered outside the Law Courts.

At one point, they were joined by General Workers’ Union representatives, including secretary general Tony Zarb and his deputies Geitu Mercieca and Michael Parnis.

Mr Zarb told this newspaper that their presence at the protest march was a sign of solidarity with the street hawkers.

“Their pleas and proposals are justified,” said Mr Zarb, appealing to the government to acknowledge them and to engage in serious consultation with the hawkers.

The protest march was brought to an end in Freedom Square, where the protesters held hands, forming a huge circle that occupied the whole square, much to the bewilderment of passers-by, particularly the tourists who had their cameras ready to record the odd event.