THE face-off continued yesterday between vendors of the Bourda Market and employees of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC), whose demolition exercise of stalls intensified to rid the area of vending and facilitate the tearing down of the derelict Bedford building.

During the morning hours, a bulldozer was ripping apart stalls, and the materials were being loaded onto a truck to be taken away, much to the disappointment of many vendors, who watched their wooden stalls being destroyed by the M&CC crew.

The scene was inevitably noisy as some vendors, in registering their disappointment, became very vocal in the presence of members of the City Constabulary and the Guyana Police Force, who were present to oversee the exercise and prevent the outbreak of violence.

When this newspaper visited the area yesterday, scores of vendors spoke of being faced with the predicament of having no business from which to earn a living, and they asked what they were supposed to do to support their families.

One visibly upset vendor, voicing her disapproval at the move by M&CC to break down her stall, unleashed a series of expletives as others looked on quietly.

The scene was tense and bordering on the eruption of violence, but the presence of ranks from the GPF and the City Constabulary had a persuasive effect in maintaining law and order.

Acting Public Relations Officer of the M&CC, Ms Debra Lewis, told this publication yesterday that the stall demolition exercise will continue until the area is cleared for the demolition and removal of the old Bedford building, and there will be no letting up.

She added that City Mayor Hamilton Green has always tried to assist vendors, although it is illegal to vend on the pavement, and the M&CC had no option other than to engage in this demolition exercise, because vendors did not want to comply with instructions to remove from the area.

The M&CC said vendors were given ample time to relocate from the area, but they did not cooperate with the City Council; as such, the Council had to take action and forcibly stage a demolition exercise, which commenced at 05:00 hrs on Monday morning.

The M&CC said in a statement yesterday that it is seeking to return its main thoroughfares to a state of order, hence it is asking store owners who operate along Regent Street to desist from placing tables, mannequins and other structures on the pavements in front of their businesses.

It was observed that many of these business places have placed large structures on the pavements to display goods for sale, and this, according to the M&CC, has contributed to congestion in the area. Regent Street is one of the main shopping areas in Georgetown, and the chaos that occurs daily on the pavements of Regent Street is unacceptable, the M&CC has said.

Also, congestion on the Regent Street pavement creates a situation for criminal activities to occur, according to the Council. Therefore, in the interest of decency, order and civility, the Council would not allow store owners to vend along Regent Street.

The document added that City Hall is working assiduously to ensure that the entire city returns to a state of orderliness and cleanliness.

“Regent Street is one of our major shopping areas in the city and the hub of economic activities. It also has the potential to be a greater tourist attraction if the right environment is created and sustained. The co-operation of businesses in this area can only help the Georgetown City Council to restore order and integrity of the city”, M&CC has said.

The Council is imploring vendors not to block the entrances of businesses, and not to hoist their goods on the showcases of businesses along the Regent Street area. Also, all vendors are required to have in place proper refuse receptacles for the disposal of waste.

 
By Michel Outridge