Due to the blatant disregard by vendors of social distancing guidelines, the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) is now making plans to decentralise the markets to enforce the social distancing rule.
Persons walking outside Stabroek Market
This is according to Georgetown Mayor, Ubraj Narine.
The Mayor told the media that a proposal was sent to the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) and the Agriculture Ministry, to decentralise the wholesalers and retailers.
He, however, added that though this is the plan, the decision will be made at the Council’s Task Force
Stabroek Market
meeting on Tuesday.
“One of our proposed places is D’Urban Park, and the other one is Parade Ground,” the Mayor said.
Two weeks ago, Narine revealed that all municipal markets will be opened from 07:00h to 14:00h. He remarked that this was in line with the caretaker Government’s emergency measures to curb the spread of the deadly virus.
The public and vendors of the various markets were urged to wear masks before entering the market places, and to practice social distancing to reduce any risk of contraction of COVID-19. However, according to officials, this call is being ignored.
“We see that people are not practicing social or physical distancing. Some people are not even wearing the masks that were outlined by the Ministry of Public Health, or by extension, the World Health Organisation. We as Guyanese need to adhere to these measures that are put in place,” Narine said.
Additionally, he alluded that the time for the opening and closure of the markets is also set to be reviewed.
Narine said in order to monitor movements in the various markets, the Council came to the consensus to close some of the market gates.
“Only two main gates are being opened, at those two gates, there are two constables that we would be at those gates. Also, there is a sink with hand soap that we encourage customers, or whoever so wish to enter the market, they would have to wash their hands, and wear a mask”, he said.
On April 6, M&CC closed all of the markets to facilitate the sanitisation of the area, as well as for the installation of hygienic facilities.
The markets reopened on April 7.
