The Mon Repos Market has been closed to facilitate renovations for one week but vendors have expressed displeasure at the pace at which the works are ongoing.
Guyana Times visited the area on Wednesday and vendors were relocated to an area opposite the market.
According to construction workers at the site, the market was closed since Monday to facilitate repairs. These workers indicated that the market will be reopening to the merchants in time for the new week.
Works ongoing at the Mon Repos Market
However, several vendors told this publication that not only were they given short notice by the Chairman of the Mon Repos Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) but no conveniences were put in place for them at the temporary location.
“He come Thursday and tell we. We don’t work Friday. Them ain’t even come and she yall could go over deh fuh sell or give we any place. Nothing. Half ah the market vendors ain’t come out for the week yet. Is money we losing budday,” an irritated vendor told this newspaper.
Another vendor pointed out that even though there were no proper facilities provided for him to sell, he has to continue paying his daily rent.
He said when he inquired as to what he was paying for, the head of the market office refused to acknowledge his question.
“They put we out the market, we still gat to pay. Why? You tell me wah we paying for? When I ask the head woman up in the market office, she pretend she ain’t hear or something. They throwing we off bad hay man.’’
Other vendors highlighted that even though they were told that the market would be fully rehabilitated within a weeks’ time, no significant repairs has been done as yet and its already the third day of work. They insisted that their time and money were being wasted as they remained skeptical about the deadline.
“Look at this market condition? They saying they doing repairs. What repairs? Check in deh and tell me if you see anything proper done yet. This is done the third day of the week,” another vendor related.
Angry vendors told Guyana Times that they are never included in the market related meetings and that the market office staff and the NDC held a reputation for an autocratic management style.
“They don’t tell we when they doing anything. No meeting for we to voice our opinions. Is nah them alone in this thing. They does just come and lay down the law and we have to comply with it.’’
Another vendor added that “We gotta comply with them but if we wanna repair a lock self in we stall, we ga send them a letter and they gon take months fuh reply to we.
This is unfair to we man. Is we money we spending and we cant do nothing.’’
When this publication went to the Market Office to enquire, the doors were locked and no one was available.
