K&VC owners take City Hall to court over removal notice

The owners of the Island Snackette and Pizzeria, formerly K&VC Snackette, have taken City Hall to court to prevent them from being evicted. City Hall won a case against the owners in the High Court and they were expected to relocate earlier this month, but requested an extension, which was granted. However, they used the extension period to seek an injunction preventing the municipality from dismantling their building.

On Monday, at the statutory meeting, Town Clerk Royston King informed the Council of the pending legal challenge, but added that the M&CC’s lawyers were seeking to have it quashed. He did indicate that the pending legal challenge would hinder works to the Stabroek Market Wharf since vendors were supposed to be relocated there.
The spot identified, to have vendors relocated, is next door to the now demolished “Dread Shop”. In May of last year, City Hall dismantled the popular shop after the Council noted that the area in which it was located fell within that which is described under the Municipal and District Councils Act, Chapter 28:01 as a council area. It said that the proprietors of the demolished shop “had been informed by the Council that they were required to vacate the said area and had been given reasonable and sufficient notice to so do”.
Following the demolition, the Island Snackette and Pizzeria, formerly K&VC Snackette, was left standing, but now it too has to remove after City Hall won a court case against the owners as well as the proprietor of Lance Photo Studio. The Photo Studio owners had until November 26 to remove and have since started moving.
The dilapidated Stabroek Market Wharf, which faces the Demerara River, is a danger and eyesore to the thousands, with several sections collapsing over the years. However, the rapid deterioration of the buildings has not deterred persons from vending there.
The Town Clerk previously stated that following the repairs the wharf would be rehabilitated to act as a mall-like facility complete with a boardwalk and entertainment area. Mayor Patricia Chase Green told Guyana Times that the project was expected to begin early next year with help from the Public Infrastructure Ministry.

The “No-No Zone”
Meanwhile, having removed vendors from the Stabroek Market environs, City Hall has now authorised the use of the area for the Christmas season. Seasonal vending has been approved on the eastern side of the road in front of the Stabroek Market – commonly referred to as the “No-No Zone”.
Guyana Market Vendors Union President Eon Andrews said that the vendors were informed of the early opening on November 21 and City Hall would be collecting weekly rates. However, three days later, the administration was there to collect rates from the vendors ranging from $1500 to $5000.
“The Guyana Market Vendors Union is of the view that it would have been more appropriate if a standard fee was charged for each spot… it is the Union’s opinion that even though this City Council exercise appears to have been done in good faith, implementing same contrary to the Council’s standard operational procedure is a recipe for corruption,” Andrews said in a statement.
Town Clerk King said that the Markets and Public Health Committee was bypassed because such decisions did not fall within its purview. Chairman of the Committee, Deputy Mayor Lionel Jaikarran registered his disappointment with the decision and requested that the Committee be involved in the decision-making process.
As it relates to the charges, King informed that vendors were charged per square foot.