109 vendors relocated from La Grange–Bagotville corridor to designated tarmac

– selling on roadways will no longer be permitted, Edghill warns

As the Government moves to relocate 109 vendors who currently occupy space along the La Grange–Bagotville corridor, West Bank Demerara (WBD), Public Works Minister Juan Edghill will proceed without interference from outside parties. Following efforts to relocate the vendors, some individuals attempted to derail the process, thus forcing the Minister to address the matter.
He clarified that several individuals who were not on the Ministry’s verified list appeared and demanded spaces, attempting to disrupt the exercise. He added that the 109 vendors who were previously photographed and officially documented by the Public Works Ministry will be accommodated in the relocation effort. However, Edghill on Saturday related that farmers from Canal Nos. One and Two Polders, along with other vendors from different communities, gather at the location in question on Sundays to sell their produce but emphasised that the area should not be used as a market.
He also noted that there were three stalls with more permanent structures that had been placed directly on the carriageway. The Minister added that a technical team had previously conducted a full walkthrough of the area previously to document all vendors operating there. During the exercise, officials photographed stalls and collected details including names and contact numbers. That process, he said, resulted in a list of 109 verified vendors.
“So, all the persons whose names are not among the 109 cannot have their issues addressed today. I am finding spaces for the 109 persons who have been documented, and when we are finished with that, the NDC [Neighbourhood Democratic Council] will be able to advise if they would like to see additional spaces allocated elsewhere for other persons who may be selling,” the Minister said.

“This is not a hustle where everybody can come and decide that they must get a spot,” he added. However, Edghill noted that complaints have since been raised by individuals claiming that they were not treated fairly or that they were not included on the list.
“We are dealing with 109 persons that can be verified, and that is what we are working with,” he reiterated. Meanwhile, the Minister revealed that a designated tarmac area is currently being constructed nearby to facilitate the vendors’ relocation, with the aim of having the space ready in time for Sunday’s market day.
“When they finish selling on Sunday, they will collapse their tables and stalls, and we will continue to improve the roadway to a more durable, all-weather surface,” he explained. Edghill emphasised that selling directly on the roadway will no longer be permitted once the relocation process is completed. He added that the relocation effort is intended to ensure that the contractor can proceed with the roadworks while also allowing vendors to maintain their livelihoods.
The Minister also noted that the Ministry would have conducted its own independent verification process rather than relying on lists from community groups, the NDC, or other interested parties. Edghill maintained that the Government will not be pressured into adding individuals who were not documented.
“Even if persons make noise, spread false propaganda, or misrepresent what is happening, we will not be blackmailed or manipulated into giving anyone a spot simply to keep the peace,” he stated. He added that the list of 109 vendors may be further reduced as authorities verify cases where multiple individuals from the same household may have been registered separately.