M&CC must remove vendors around GPHC by month end – High Court

The High Court has ordered the removal of vendors and other obstructions from the surroundings of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) after the hospital obtained an Order of Mandamus against the Town Clerk of the City of Georgetown.
The order was issued on Tuesday by Justice Deborah Kumar-Chetty following a hearing in the High Court of the Supreme Court of Judicature.
The court ordered the Town Clerk, Candace Nelson, along with the Mayor and City Council’s (M&CC) servants and agents, to remove or cause to be removed food and beverage vendors, hucksters, mobile trucks, carts and other encumbrances from areas surrounding the hospital compound by May 31.
The affected areas are Lamaha Street between Thomas Street and East Street, East Street between Lamaha Street and New Market Street, New Market Street between Thomas Street and East Street, and Middle Street between Thomas Street and East Street.
The order also covers vehicles, pushcarts, drays, barrels, boxes, dustbins, pallets, structures and other items left on parapets and pavements around the hospital.
The proceedings arose from a fixed-date application filed by the hospital on March 17, 2026, under the court’s judicial review jurisdiction. Attorneys-at-law Sase Gunraj and Jayaram Sanasie appeared for the applicant, while Everton Singh-Lammy and Angel Stephens represented the respondent.
According to court documents previously reported by Guyana Times on March 18, the hospital argued that the presence of vendors and other encumbrances had significantly obstructed access to the medical facility, affecting the movement of staff, patients and emergency vehicles.
The hospital also raised concerns about sanitation, alleging that waste and debris were being left along pavements and roadways surrounding the institution.
In the application filed by Attorney-at-law Sase Gunraj, the hospital contended that the M&CC had failed to fulfil its statutory duty under the Municipal and District Councils Act to keep streets and pavements clear.
Court documents stated that the hospital had written to the council on April 30 and May 7, 2024, as well as January 5, 2026, requesting the removal of vendors and warning that legal action could follow if the matter were not addressed.
While the council had reportedly indicated a willingness to resolve the issue, the hospital claimed that no effective action was taken.
Earlier this year, Town Clerk Candace Nelson had told Guyana Times that some vendors appeared to be occupying the area during late afternoon, night-time and weekend hours in an apparent effort to avoid enforcement.
In an interview published on January 7, Nelson said she had observed only a few vendors in the area during morning inspections but noted that others operated during periods when the Mayor and City Council was not patrolling the vicinity.
The issue of unauthorised vending has also affected other businesses in Georgetown in recent years, with companies including Muneshwers Limited, Banks DIH Limited and Yhip’s Bakery previously taking legal action to have vendors removed from outside their premises.
The court further ordered that there be no order as to costs.