As the May-June rains advance, vendors at the Wismar Municipal Market in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), are grappling with the effects of severe leakages caused by faulty roofing. This is just one of the numerous issues plaguing vendors of the market area which is situated along Burnham Drive, Wismar, and vendors are presently calling on the relevant authorities to have it rectified.
Sections of the Wismar Market
With many of the services offered by the market considered as essential, vendors in many instances are forced to work under these conditions. As the rain poured in heavily on Thursday, vendors were forced to place large plastic barrels at strategic locations so as to catch the water and to prevent sections of the market from flooding. In other areas, vendors were forced to close their stalls or remove items to prevent them from being soaked. A vendor told this publication that this has been the harsh reality for some time now, describing the situation as quite an “uncomfortable” one. It was explained that the market has been experiencing leakages for years but it has been getting worse in recent times. Even the roadway outside the market has been experiencing flooding whenever it rains heavily.
While the municipality of the Linden Mayor and Town Council is responsible for the upkeep of the market, Mayor Waneka Arrindell recently disclosed that the Council has been experiencing revenue losses owing to measures put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19. According to Arrindell, the municipality, which utilises approximately 10 million dollars monthly to carry out its routine functions, is currently unable to do so as a result.
