The garden city of Georgetown, over the years, has seemingly wasted away to not only the ‘garbage city’ but now changing into the ‘sewage city’ as vendors are now complaining of being affected by sewage spills in several locations.
On Saturday, several vendors reached out to Guyana Times to express frustration over the situation and its implications for their health as they continue to long for a breath of fresh air and clean environs.
A few vendors on Avenue of the Republic wearing respirators to protect themselves as a sewage spillage has been reported in the area
A vendor who plies her trade on Avenue of the Republic in Georgetown explained that they are forced to wear respirators in an effort to protect themselves from the stench.
“This thing here, it affecting we terrible so we have to go and buy the mask. It (the scent) goin all in yuh throat, it givin yuh bad feelings. Is a very long time this goin on,” she said.
The vendors said that since the beginning of the year, they started to notice the stench and spillage.
Another vendor, who spoke with this publication, explained that they reported the issue to the relevant authorities before and the spillage was cleaned; however, they were still hoping for their prayers to be heard soon and the situation permanently remedied.
“This thing often going on and polluting the whole area here on Avenue of the Republic. Me ain’t know exactly where it coming from, but it polluting the whole area. It went to this extent before and it was reported and according to what I hear, it was taken care of, but it come back again,” he explained.
According to another vendor in the area, she noticed that the spillage usually takes place around 10:00h to 18:00h. That vendor cried, “We keep inhaling it all the time and it affectin my throat.”
She also related that her business is being affected by the stench, as customers are turned off by the odour and do not stop to shop.
Vendors are now being forced to sprinkle detergents to help cover up the odour in a bid to attract their customers.
Another frustrated male vendor said, “Over a month and change, this thing here goin on. This water here stink and it gun give people sick and all kind of thing. We got to put on this thing (respirator) every day. We can’t even get to sell goods.”
That vendor argued that they pay monthly rents and the Mayor of the city must do something to ease their situation.
A few vendors have even taken to social media in a bid to have their cries heard.
Only recently, this newspaper reported that a Georgetown family has been living in sewage for the past few months, with little being done to ease their distress.
