…still awaiting construction of stalls
More than 80 vendors have been placed on the breadline after they would have been relocated from the Stabroek Market Wharf by the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) to facilitate construction work.
Steel barriers which prevent trading in the area
However, in light of having to build new stalls to ply their trade, they are left without a place to operate, which is affecting their daily income.
For the rehabilitation of the Wharf, City Hall would have asked the vendors to utilise a section of the Route 42 bus park which has been barricaded for many weeks. But the Council contrarily decided that the vendors would have to construct their own stalls, which would cost approximately $400,000 each.
Presently, the area remains cordoned off with steel barriers and there is no access to vend. While reaching out to Guyana Times, the vendors remained anonymous as they feared being victimised or having their stalls taken away by the Council.
One of them noted that it has been two weeks since the Wharf was shut down by the Council. Since then operations have ceased, and their livelihoods have been erased until they could obtain cash to build new stalls.
“That was since the Thursday and now is two week. All we see in the papers is that they say we got to build we own stalls. The goods that I had since that day spoil and we never get to sell again.
“I have three children. All three going to school and we don’t have work. When you think we getting $400,000 for a stand that we got to abandon when they finish with the Wharf?” she questioned.
At a recent statutory meeting chaired by Mayor Patricia Chase Greene, the Council presented a budget of $23 million which was used to erect barricades and groundwork. As such, it was determined that the Council could not stand the cost of constructing stalls for some 82 vendors.
It was decided that the vendors would be solely responsible for the construction, which the Council estimated would cost one vendor approximately $400,000 exclusive of electrical lighting.
The question was raised as to whether the Council could have taken up the mantle of producing the stalls. Town Clerk Royston King responded, “We don’t have the money to do it.”
It is mandatory that the eight feet by ten feet structure with a maximum height of 13 feet be constructed with wood. The Councillors decided that six weeks after completion of the stalls, a sum of $85 per square foot per month would be collected for sanitation services and other facilities which would be provided by the Council.
One of the aggravated vendors who identified himself as Hussain questioned that move as he stated, “The Council could use that money in the first place to help us with the stalls. Me don’t see what kind of work they do that call for millions of dollar.”
The budget for the complete refurbishment of the Wharf was slated at some $400 million. After the repairs, the section of the market that overlooks the Demerara River would be converted into a mall inclusive of a boardwalk and entertainment area. Of course, this would impose that those vendors pay a larger sum of money to rent the new building. It is estimated that over two years will be spent to complete this project, which dislocates the Route 42 buses and vendors during that time.
