St Pius Church urges M&CC action as vendors block entrance, drainage works

The St Pius Catholic Church is seeking urgent intervention from the Georgetown City Council to clear vendor structures from the church’s entrance, citing concerns that the structures are obstructing drainage works and affecting access to the sacred space. The matter was raised during the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) meeting on Monday, where councillors discussed a request from the church for the vendors to be removed or restricted to movable structures that can be cleared at the end of each day. According to correspondence from the church, the continued presence of the structures has hindered essential drainage works and affected the entrance to the church, which it said should reflect “holiness, dignity, and sacredness.” The church also warned that continued delays could force it to consider legal action as a last resort to protect its property and allow the necessary works to proceed. According to Mayor Alfred Mentore, the Council had previously reached a compromise with the church, allowing vendors to continue their livelihoods using movable structures, provided that the structures are removed at the end of each day. “Father would have written, and he also sent a note of gratitude to St Pius Catholic Church.

Following our previous discussions and correspondence with the City Council, the Church and Parish, Council agreed to a compromise allowing the vendors to continue their livelihoods with movable structures, provided these are removed by the end of the day.” Mentore said the Council also received correspondence concerning the movement of the structures to allow the church to carry out essential drainage works and restore what it described as a fair and dignified entrance. He said the church maintained that its entrance should reflect “holiness, dignity and sacredness” and that the current situation continues to hinder this objective. According to the Mayor, the church said it had made efforts to resolve the matter peacefully and cooperatively, but the continued delay was causing serious difficulties, particularly as it had previously suffered significant financial losses when construction and drainage works were obstructed. The church has reportedly indicated that, following further consultation, it may have to seek legal advice if the matter remains unresolved.
However, the church stressed that this was not intended as a threat, but rather as a last resort to protect its property and allow essential works to proceed. It has therefore called for urgent intervention to ensure that the Council’s previous commitment is honoured.

Public spaces near churches
Meanwhile, concerns surrounding the management and upkeep of public spaces near churches have also been raised in other parts of Georgetown. Last April, following complaints about the triangular area situated along Vlissengen Road, Georgetown, opposite St Sidwell’s Primary School, the Georgetown City Council cleaned the area after it had become a garbage dumping site.