…a disaster ‘waiting to happen’ happens

A SECTION of the badly dilapidated roof over the Stabroek Market wharf, gave way shortly before 05:00hrs on Wednesday morning, creating pandemonium, as vendors just beginning to clean and set up their stalls for the start of business began running helter skelter for safety.

Fortunately for citizens and their businesses below, and what saved the day; was the fact that the section which gave way, was intercepted by, and became propped up on a firmly constructed stall beneath.
The terrified men and women below hurriedly sought out constabulary workers to whom they reported the accident.
One woman recalled hearing an eerie sound coming from above, and looked up only to behold a section of the roof falling apart and coming down. “About four or five men from the fish stalls were walking through and I holler and tell them look up, and everybody run fuh dear life.”
It was an act of God that no one was injured, but workers and shoppers in that part of the market are fearful over what looms for the future. They are incensed too over the fact that lives could have been lost, hadn’t the “blue stall” been in place to prop the falling roof.
Meanwhile, as the roof continues to hang dangerously, with zinc sheets fluttering, citizens have expressed fear that at any moment, without notice, the entire section would come crashing down, “What go happen when he fall down come kill awe? We talk fuh rain, talk fuh sunshine and all ah fall pun deaf ears.” “What is the Council doing”? One man queried.
The citizens on the wharf said too, that during last week they twice heard cracking wounds coming from mid beams in the roof, and are now turning their attention to the possibility of a greater imminent disaster, since there would be no stall to cushion the effects, should mid beams come crashing down this time around.
Persons on the wharf told reporters that just a few weeks ago a piece of wood fell from the interior of the wharf and burst a handyman’s head, causing him to be hospitalised. On being discharged from hospital, he reportedly made a complaint to the Town Clerk, who merely told him that he should be more careful in the future. There ended the matter.
Meanwhile, reports to the Town Clerk, about the condition of the wharf continue to flow ad nauseam, but without any action forthcoming. The office of the Clerk of Markets has also repeatedly brought this matter to the attention of the Town Clerk, but is still awaiting a response.
The condition of the roof of the Stabroek Market is derelict to say the least, and has constituted an eyesore and a threat to human lives and property for several years. With each passing day, the situation keeps getting worse. Meanwhile, out of circumstances, and in order to eke out an honest livelihood, business operators are forced to daily endure the dangers to which they are exposed and take the chance of walking and conducting business in such an environment.
Many have concerns about their safety and that of their customers and clients, but are afraid to speak out, for fear of being victimized. “Time and again we does complain, and nothing happening, but eventually we come to the realisation that we better stop talking, because what they might do is cordon off the area and tell we that we going there at we own risk. When that happens, it means we can’t earn to meet we expenses.”
Among the activities taking place under the derelict covering are: speedboats and other boats plying the Stabroek/Demerara River crossing; the loading and off loading of plantain and other vegetable boats coming from the Pomeroon and other riverine areas around Regions 2 and 3 (Pomeroon-Supenaam), and (West Demerara-Essequibo Islands); daily vegetable vending; grocery stalls (wholesale and retail).
This newspaper attempted to get a comment from the Clerk of Markets, Ms. Simone Mc Kend, but was informed that she was at a meeting. Meanwhile, at City Hall, we were informed that the Town Clerk, Ms. Carol Sooba too, was unavailable for comment, and so was her assistant. Asked whether she was aware of the incident on the wharf, the Town Clerk’s secretary said she was not.

(By Shirley Thomas)