Stabroek Market vendors along with the Guyana Vendors Market Union staged a protest in front of City Hall
Protestors assembled outside City Hall on Friday
on Friday, calling for the removal of the Mayor, Town Clerk and Chief Constable.
Scores of vendors picketed City Hall, calling for the removal of Town Clerk, Royston King, Mayor Patricia Chase-Green and Chief Constable Andrew Foo from their posts.
They expressed frustration at the recent decision to have them removed from the Stabroek Market Canopy area, claiming that they were not consulted – a frequent habit.
One vendor vented her frustration to Guyana Times, stating that they need urgent discussions with King: “We want talks with City Council, with Royston King because they are hiding and they are denying the union; we need to have talks, they need to have on the table discussions with the vendors.”
President of the Guyana Vendors Market Union, Eon Andrews, told this publication that the protest was prompted due to the many empty promises made by the Mayor and Town Clerk.
He further questioned the authenticity of the promises to build a more modernised market to facilitate vending: “There was a structure that was presented to this council and to the city to be built behind of Stabroek where that wharf is deteriorated and now we are not hearing anything about it, so I think that it is a lot of talks. Unless the leaders at City Hall aren’t removed, then there will be nothing that will change because they have no vision,” he said.
President of the Guyana Trades Union Congress, Russell Gonsalves also joined the protest in support of the vendors and questioned the Town Clerk’s refusal to engage in discussions with the Market Union. Gonsalves declared: “My question is why is it that the town clerk don’t want to meet with the head of the union for discussions as it relates to going forward; because you can’t just move people out of the roadway where they are accustomed to plying their trade.”
Other vendors told this publication that they feel victimised by the Chief Constable, Andrew Foo, especially after a rifle was found under the Stabroek Market Canopy some days ago.
