Refurbished $240M Kitty Market reopens 2026 upon completion of GPL electrical works – Mayor

The long-awaited reopening of the Kitty Market is now firmly on track for 2026, once outstanding electrical works are completed, Georgetown Mayor Alfred Mentore announced during a press conference on Tuesday.
According to the Mayor, while significant progress has been made on the rehabilitation and expansion of the market, unresolved electricity requirements, particularly the installation of individual meters for vendors, have delayed its official opening.
Mentore explained that the most recent challenge involves power supply arrangements with the Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL). While the market has a general meter, each vendor is required to have an individual meter, a requirement that was not fully factored into earlier planning.
“And one of the last parts of the puzzle that we have just realised is the aspect of the GPL, where we can’t provide GPL services for everybody…. So each person had to get a meter… I have reached out to the CEO of GPL, Mr Nandlall. He has indicated that they have gotten the information and his engineers are working to be able to deal with the issue. I think they are in communication with the town clerk to fix those issues. So as long as that engineering aspect and the meters are all installed, I would think maybe within the first few weeks of the new year, we should have the market all set,” he said.
The Mayor noted that the necessary certification for electrical competence has now been completed and submitted, and discussions are ongoing with GPL to finalise the installation process.
With structural and engineering works already assessed and completed, Mentore confirmed that priority will be given to former vendors who previously operated at the Kitty Market.
“Yes. Well, priority is given to all those persons who were there and who should have back their stalls. What we have done is clearly identify that those persons must have first preference. So those persons will have first preference. We’ve increased the size of the market and the stalls. So you will have additional stalls to be given out. I think we are almost there as it relates to all the other persons plus the people who were to have their stalls. So those people are ready and rearing to go. It’s an issue of just the GPL aspect,” the Mayor added.
Once completed, the revitalised Kitty Market will offer an improved shopping experience, providing vendors and shoppers with a modernised and enhanced marketplace.
Beyond reopening the market, the City Council is exploring partnerships with private investors to make the area more vibrant and commercially attractive.
He explained that such initiatives could transform the area into a major hub of activity.
“I don’t believe we will move back to have a fish pond, but we are looking at some other investors outside of that. We do that so that we could also create more energy and create not only revenue but make the market more vibrant. So if you extend there and you have a joint arrangement with someone that we’re looking at, you’ll have more people. We’re talking with a few persons. So you have more persons visiting that part as well as the market. So the place will become a hive of activity or full of opportunities. And that is something we believe we want to be able to bring to that marketplace so that we could get the people more opportunities and more business available to them,” Mentore explained.
Refurbishing the Kitty Market has been a long, multi-phase project with an estimated total cost around $240 million. The project was expected to be completed early this year, but experienced severe delays.