Tarmac being constructed to accommodate 50 Plaisance roadside vendors

Infrastructure works on a new tarmac within the vicinity of the Plaisance Market, East Coast Demerara (ECD) is moving apace, with completion slated between June 17 and 23, 2024.
The facility being constructed has the capacity to house some 50 vendors from Plaisance and surrounding areas.

The tarmac follows a commitment made by Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, which aims to ensure that vendors are not displaced or out of business as Government conducts road expansion works along the railway embankment.
Additionally, the project will ensure that vendors who currently ply their trade at roadsides and in the pathway of vehicular traffic, have a safe and hazard free environment to conduct business.
During an inspection of the project on Tuesday, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill explained that while the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) did not have the capacity to implement the project, it has been tasked with handling the affairs of vendors and maintenance going forward.
“They are not 50 (vendors) right now but we are aware that they are people who come out on Saturdays and Sundays just to sell. People come with their cars, people come with their canters and so on because it’s a very vibrant market. What is taking place here is us keeping good faith on the commitment we made to the people of Plaisance and the vendors that occupy from the Victoria road coming back there in the market area,” Edghill said.
When asked about project delays due to the May/June rainy season, Edghill committed to no setbacks, noting that the tarmac is a paramount piece of infrastructure and must be complete so that works can recommence on the road expansion project.
Further, he added that consultations with vendors in other communities on the Coast will commence soon, as government moves to provide relief to those in need.
“I assure you that the very same approach that we would have taken further up at Beehive and other places where people have farm lands, we are getting the project moving without confrontation, without confusion and we want to thank the people for their cooperation so far because this is a very important project and we want it to keep moving,” he added.

Consultation
The government is upgrading the current two-lane Railway Embankment Road to four lanes from Sheriff Street to Enmore.
This project falls under the US$192 million Framework Concessional Loan Agreement from the Exim Bank of China to finance Phase II of the East Coast Road Project, which includes the four-lane expansion of the Railway Embankment Road as well as the extension of the main East Coast Roadway from Orange Nassau to Mahaica, and the rehabilitation of the existing East Coast Demerara Road from Belfield to Orange Nassau.
As result, consultation between Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo and vendors along the Plaisance ‘Line Top’ were facilitated last year, after eviction letters were issued to them without proper consultation with the Ministry of Public Works.
At the time, the vendors were given seven-day notices to vacate, so that their business won’t be disrupted by ongoing works, and this prompted protest action.
Shortly after, the vendors were informed by the Dr Jagdeo that they have six months to relocate from the areas where the expansion will occur, while the relevant stakeholders find mutually-agreeable solutions.
Months later, the vendors and engineers from the Public Works Ministry agreed that the tarmac was the safe and economically viable option for them. (G1)