by Sabrina Salas Matanane

Guam - The Flea Market Task Force spent its third Saturday regulating and educating vendors. Guam Police officers swarmed the Dededo Flea Market with the flea market task force. According to GPD Spokesperson Sergeant Mike Aguon 17 parking violations were issued and 47-year-old Joaquin Reyes was booked and released for obstruction of government operations and disorderly conduct.

Guam Fire inspectors in the meantime gave warnings to vendors regarding possible health and safety violations. The Task Force has been trying to enforce Guam's laws including ensuring that vendors are not setting up along the street as they've done in the past. While no vendors set up on the restricted buffer zone this weekend, the Task Force also were inspecting to ensure businesses along the roadway have the proper licenses to sublease their property to vendors.

One area of concern is a vegetable stand located along the road - the owners are subleasing the property from a private landowner - but it's unclear if the vendor or owner secured the proper permits to build a permanent structure.

Captain Manibusan said, "Right now this is a DPW issue of course this is an issue with everybody but the whole issue here is whether its permanent or temporary it's a structure and the gateway for any building is DPW. In the process of getting everything cleared the fire department is one of the agencies that clears it. But initially it has to go through Public Works. By the way we have the deputy director here. It's something that DPW will discuss.

According to DPE deputy director Carl Dominiguez, his agency will be working with Land Management to survey the area and determine the government's accurate boundaries. Meantime, the Task Force is inviting the public to a forum at the Dededo Community Center on July 23 at 6 in the evening to allow all stakeholders to hear from Task Force members and voice any concerns.