By Clestine Juan

THE PLAN by the City Council to clean up the streets of Georgetown is shaping up. With the vendors and minibuses and taxis gone, the streets will be hosed down and then resurfaced.
It’s all part of a plan to beautify the city ahead of the country’s 50th Independence anniversary celebrations.Within a few days, vendors could be plying their trade at the empty lot at Hadfield Street, behind Parliament building, after being relocated from around the Stabroek Market.

The Georgetown Mayor and City Council has moved to relocate the vendors in an effort to clean up and beautify the Stabroek Square for Guyana’s 50th Independence anniversary.
“The cleanup has nothing to do with politics; it’s really about cleaning the city and restoring its natural beauty,” Royston King, Town Clerk said yesterday.
The Council has moved many of the vendors that crowded the streets and pavements.
According to Town Clerk, Royston King, the location identified to house the vendors – an empty lot opposite the Linden Bus Park, would be fitted with security, lighting and other facilities.
“We are in the process of procuring the lot with the amenities and within a few days the site would be ready for these vendors,” King said.

He also asked the vendors to be open to change, since the new space would allow for a new kind of energy to emerge so the Guyanese could be proud of their city.
The clean-up exercise will also cover other vending areas along Church Street, as well as Regent Street between Avenue of the Republic and Camp Street.
This newspaper understands that the Council is getting the site ready for Thursday.
King said that the majority of the vendors have other stalls on the Merriman Mall or the Vendors Arcade, but would court the streets and conduct their trade.
“Under the city Municipal Act, Chapter 28:01, it’s our duty to ensure…the health of the city and what we are trying to do is fix the city and elevate it to a level that we all could be proud of,” King stated.
He also commended the Water street vendors who assisted the M&CC workers in removing illegal stalls along the walkway; however the Brassonic store shed had to be torn down because it was impeding free movement on the pavement.

The store owner contended that he was not given any warning by the Council and noted that the damages to the property would be almost $1 million, since lights and surveillance cameras were attached to the shed.
King noted that the Guyana Fire service would be called in to wash the roads, after they will be resurfaced.