Govt to standardise all markets in enhancement push

…Leonora Market tarmac to be roofed in 8 weeks

The Government is moving to standardise markets across Guyana, ensuring that every facility meets modern standards in safety, sanitation, and infrastructure.
Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Priya Manickchand says the goal is to create markets “we can all be proud of”, with solid structures, proper ventilation, excellent sanitation, reliable sanitary facilities, secure premises, functioning drainage, good lighting, and adequate electrical connections.
In a Facebook post on Saturday, the Minister emphasised that markets are not only a hub for trade but also a core part of Guyanese culture.

“Markets are necessary both for our cherished vendors and shoppers,” she wrote. “We are currently in the process of making sure ALL our markets have a standard about which we can all be proud.”
She noted that the Government has received numerous complaints from vendors using official market spaces who say they face disadvantages when illegal, ad hoc vending occurs along roadways.
According to Manickchand, such activity is both environmentally hazardous and unsafe, creating risks for vendors, shoppers, and other road users.
“We have seen how environmentally hazardous this is to all stakeholders, and we know how unsafe the roadways become when encumbrances are allowed to occupy highways and roadways,” she said. “Together, we must move to a better, more orderly Guyana.”

Leonora Market
Meanwhile, the Leonora Market will see significant upgrades in the coming weeks.
The currently open-air tarmac will be roofed within the next eight weeks, creating approximately 80 new vending spots. The renovation will also include a food court, additional sanitary facilities, and a new jewellery section.
These improvements will complement the more than 200 vendors who already occupy the lawfully provided market space on Saturdays, Manickchand said. In fact, photographs shared by the Minister on Facebook show vendors utilising the tarmac in the evenings, demonstrating the importance of keeping vending within designated areas rather than on roadways.
“Distractions from folks who capitalise on vulnerabilities are meant to do just that: distract from a beautiful, clean, orderly Guyana that we know is possible, that our children and generations deserve,” she wrote.

To top it off, the Minister stressed that the upgrades are part of a broader vision for a fair and predictable market system. Vendors, shoppers, and the public all benefit when markets are safe, orderly, and properly maintained.
Manickchand asked the nation to consider a fundamental question: “What do we want as a country? A clean, orderly system that is fair and predictable? Or one where disorder and chaos prevail and from which no one really benefits in the long run?”
She concluded with a call for unity and focus, urging Guyanese not to be distracted from the goal:
“Together we can, together we must. Together we will. Do not be distracted from what is possible.”
Just last month, Minister Manickchand had emphasised the Ministry’s ongoing work to enhance markets across Guyana, noting that there are approximately 30 public markets nationwide.
She explained that the Ministry is working toward implementing a standardised market model that ensures essential elements such as cleanliness and sanitation, orderly and clear walkways, proper waste management, and functional infrastructure, including reliable roofing, lighting, water access, and washroom facilities.