Metropolitan markets crowded As "Wanterr’’ intensifies

In what is seen as a last minute rush for shopping, before the much-awaited feast of Koriteh, major metropolitan markets within the Greater Banjul Area are experiencing quite a surge in activities as shoppers descend on them. "Wanterr" is the buzzword in the next few days.

This concept, offering a rare opportunity for the average person to shop at very low cost, is characterised by display of the must enticing of skills by the businessmen who employ all sorts of tactics - drumming, singing and dancing; all with the aim of attracting the attention of potential buyers.

An assessment mission of the progress of this year’s Wanterr took our reporter up to down town Banjul, to the famous Albert Market, the country’s largest. There what he found was no different from the expected fanfare. Almost everything in need by the wary customers seemed to be on display. According to one textile businessman, prices of clothes were as low as D30 per meter, which meant that the least the average consumer could get would be one dress for the Koriteh.  

In occasions like the one approaching, people go for at least two pears of cloths, meaning more money for the sellers. But our textile seller stressed that the "give-away" prices on offer were only possible at times like this, urging the public to take advantage. And the delightful, young and enterprising businessman’s assessment of this year’s Wanterr was simply "successful!"

However, expectations were by no means the same in other part of the same market. Modou Conteh, another textile businessman, told this reporter that women’s cloths were the most widely absorbed, mainly due to the fact that their men counterpart devote a negligible time to the issue of clothing.

That was not where the difference in their assessment lies. As Conteh simply put it, last year’s Wanterr was more rewarding compared to this one.