Weekly Stabroek, Bourda market closures to tackle rat infestations – Town Clerk

…says sensitisation exercises planned for meat vendors

As the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (GM&CC) continues to ensure that the capital city is well kept and maintained. The organisation has revealed plans to tackle the rat infestations at the Stabroek and Bourda Markets.
This was revealed by Town Clerk Candace Nelson during the council’s most recent statutory meeting. According to Nelson as part of efforts to ensure these markets are well kept and tidy the council had decided to close both facilitates weekly on Wednesday to facilitate cleaning activities.
“The decision of the council in relation to the closure of the market is for it to close every Wednesday for cleaning. We have commenced that project we started last Wednesday with Bourda It is not at the level that we would want it to be however; it’s a work in progress…But our plan is to continue to work on these markets so that they can get to a level where we can all feel comfortable not just visiting, but to purchase as well.”
One of the most pressing and persistent problems affecting these markets is the widespread infestation of rats, which poses significant health risks and undermines both sanitation and overall market conditions.
In this regard Nelson revealed that the council in collaboration with health officials will engage market vendors particularly those who handle meat products.
“I’ve had discussions with the medical officer of health and what we would like to do as well is to have some talks with those stockholders, especially those in the Butcher’s Lane and the fishpond, on how they should properly store meat and to prevent that infestation of rodents in that market I spoke to her this morning.”
The city council over the past few months has been very strategic in its efforts towards maintaining the market facilities. Just recently in March the GM&CC launched a new initiative which will see the council synergising with stallholders and vendors who ply their trade within the vicinity of the Stabroek market.