Increased focus on municipal markets in coming months
Chairman of the Markets and Public Health Committee, Trichria Richards
Chairman of the Markets and Public Health Committee, Trichria Richards

THE Mayor and City Council (M&CC) plans on placing increased emphasis on rehabilitating the various municipal markets in a bid to encourage vendors who have strayed to return inside the markets.

Chairman of the Markets and Public Health Committee, Councillor Trichria Richards, told the Guyana Chronicle on Friday that efforts will be made to organise the different markets effectively.

Richards observed that work has hardly been done to the markets over the years and that since 2016, the council has been trying to work on them. Subsequently, with assistance from the government, some rehabilitative works were done on the Kitty, East Ruimveldt, Albouystown and Bourda Markets.

Richards said a common problem at all of the markets has to do with several stalls that are locked up and used instead for storage, while the owners opt to sell outside of the markets. Since the City Council wants those vendors to return inside, the councillor acknowledged that some repair works will have to be completed.

Meanwhile, the City Council has, for years, been struggling to complete a vendors’ policy that could see a more structured approach to vending in the city. According to Councillor Richards, the policy is still being fine-tuned.

She expressed that the policy is a huge task as it has to include details for all aspects of vending including specifications for mobile units.

Councillor Richards has especially been successful in organising repairs for the East Ruimveldt Market, which falls within her constituency. A major road project was completed inside the market, and vendors are now looking forward to the roof being repaired and lights being installed.

Richards had explained that when it rains, it is not business as usual for the vendors. In fact, there is no protection for them as the entire roof is in a deplorable state.
Work of any kind has not been done to the market for years and hence the City Council sought to go after fixing the roads as first priority. The next major project, according to Richards, would be repairs to the roof and installation of more lights.

The Ministry of Communities and the Finance Committee of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) would usually meet around November to discuss what help can be offered. But because there has been a stalling of budget preparations, Richards said the constituency will benefit from government subvention only after the elections in March.
Meanwhile, a major road project inside the market, said to be the only drive-through market in the Caribbean, has been recently completed and Councillor Richards had lauded government’s commitment to progress.

According to Richards, the project for $39.5M included the road project with revetment. The main entrance to the market was paved and the four inner lanes were also done. A gate is in the process of being installed, along with a welcome sign.

The market houses more than 50 vendors, but many of the stalls were empty because drivers, especially, hesitated to use the roads. The East Ruimveldt Market, located on Vlissengen Road and the East Ruimveldt Front Road, was built by the City Council in 1978. The market at one time housed approximately 200 vending stalls, three public restrooms, and a City Constabulary office, and was said to have been attracting 2,000 customers daily.

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