Major upgrades for Stabroek Market, Bourda Green, city avenues in 2026

– as House clears $2.8B for Georgetown Restoration Initiative

Works to enhance the capital city will continue this year with some $2 billion set aside in Budget 2026 for the rehabilitation of the Stabroek Market and Bourda Green, as well as the enhancement of avenues throughout the city and other major locations.
This sum was part of a $2.84 billion allocation towards the Georgetown Restoration Initiative that was approved by the Parliamentary Committee of Supply on Thursday.

During the consideration of the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development’s Budget Estimates, subject Minister Priya Manickchand was grilled by Opposition Members on the budget allocations for the restoration project that seeks to return Georgetown to its former glory.
Included in that sum is $100 million for further improvements to the Transport and Harbours’ old carriageway on Lamaha Street; $200 million for the enhancement of avenues within the city; another $150 million for the rehabilitation of the Municipal Training Council central area; and $35 million for the design and installation of street name signs in Georgetown.
Funds were also allocated for the construction of greenspaces at West, East, and North Ruimveldt, as well as the completion of the Stabroek Market rehabilitation and the Tiger Bay Multi-purpose Court – both of which are rollover projects from last year.
According to Manickchand, these projects are all aimed at enhancing the capital city “so that the residents of Georgetown could live how we said we wanted people to live – comfortably and in a wholesome environment, with good streets and good drainage, and enhanced spaces where their children could enjoy our country, as well as restoring what we know to be the beautiful parts of Georgetown.”
The Minister was then questioned by Opposition Member Ganesh Mahipaul from the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) about a $2 billion allocation, which Manickchand explained will go towards restoration works at the “iconic” Stabroek Market and Bourda Green (Bourda Market).
Of that amount, $74 million is earmarked to continue repairs to the Stabroek Market roof.
“Even as we look to make sure this remains an iconic part of Georgetown…we want vendors who are in there right now and the hundreds of consumers that travel through there not to be wet when it rains… So, we’re continuing to fix the roof at a cost of $74,791,000,” the Minister noted, while adding that this cost could go up given the aged structure.
The contract for the roof repairs was awarded to BM Properties Inc. in November last year; with a March month-end deadline, the House was told that 60 per cent of the work has been completed.
With regard to the Bourda Green restoration project, Manickchand explained that several companies have submitted designs, but no one has been contracted as yet.
Moreover, the Ministry’s budget also contains money for works to be done this year at other markets across the city, including at East Ruimveldt and East La Penitence.
These sums are part of the $36.6 billion approved by the local Government and regional development Ministry: $33 billion for local Government development, $596 million for policy administration, and $3.2 billion for regional development.
Of those amounts, some $18 billion is budgeted for rehabilitation works at several markets across the country, including at Port Kaituma, Bath, Railway Line Market, Unity, Rose Hall, Port Mourant, Number 79, Lethem, and Plaisance.
“It would complete what the initial scope of work was. However, markets are hubs of economic activity for the people who vend there,” the Minister noted in response to queries about whether this sum would complete these projects. “We want to make sure every market has good sanitary facilities, excellent protection from the weather…”
Further, Manickchand added that a little over $404 million has also been allocated for Guyana’s first cultural market, which will be executed in three lots.
Meanwhile, the Committee of Supply also approved $2.8 billion to support municipalities and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs), with municipalities to receive $50 million, and NDCs will get $30 million in subsidies each.
The local Government and regional development Ministry also received approval for $5.9 billion for the Solid Waste Disposal Programme, which will see approximately $400 million going towards the Haags Bosch site at Eccles, East Bank Demerara, and $150 million for the Lusignan landfill site on the East Coast of Demerara.