Charity Market vendors slammed for dumping garbage in waterways

While the Regional Administration and the Tourism Association of Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) are busy cleaning up the Region for the holiday season, sellers, vending on Mondays at the Charity Market are doing the opposite.
A visit to Charity on Monday, two weeks after a general clean-up was carried out in the area, revealed that those culpable had no regard for the environment. This has led to much criticism against those who vend in the area. Speaking with Guyana Times, a Charity Market vendor, who plies her trade every day at the Market, said that the main culprits were not the regular vendors but those who vend only on Mondays. Monday is the biggest market day at Charity.
“They come and sell and throw their garbage all over the place, even into the

drainage system,” another Charity Market vendor told this publication. On Mondays, persons from as far as Region One (Barima-Waini) go to Charity to do business and as such, large numbers of vendors grab at the opportunity to sell their products.
Residents living in the Pomeroon River are also being affected since most of the garbage in the drainage system at Charity ends up in the Pomeroon River. According to a Pomeroon River resident, this can be very detrimental for them since they depend solely on the river water to do everyday chores. Speedboat operators operating in the Pomeroon River are also complaining of the many objects thrown into the waterways which are dangerous, since they can lead to accidents.
Less than two weeks ago, the President and members of the Region Two Tourism Association, in collaboration with the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), met with the Regional Chairman Devanand Ramdatt to discuss plans for the Region’s tourism sector.
According to the Regional Chairman, to attract tourism to the Region, there must be a clean environment; courteous and reliable transportation providers; accommodations; stable electricity, water and communication and easy access to places of interest.
The Region Two Tourism Association President Maria Lords-Lewis said that plans were in place to start a tourism awareness drive in the Region by reaching out to the schools, business sector, service providers, and residents so as to get all involved, prepared, and ready.