CLERK of Markets in Georgetown, Mr. Schulder Griffith said yesterday that should that division of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) be allowed to spend its own money, repair works on the vending facilities would be executed easier, faster and in a more efficient manner.
He said so in an invited comment on the telephone, in light of recent complaints by Bourda Market stallholders that they are operating under deplorable conditions and incurring losses.
Griffith said the duty of the Markets Division is to identify what has to be done, as the budget is being prepared every year and submitted to the Treasury Department, with the estimates of the costs for completion.
However, he explained undertaking the jobs is subject to the availability of funds.
According to him, many projects can be paid for with revenue collected by the Markets Division but the money would go to the general revenue instead and used to fund other projects for the municipality.
Griffith said the system, which has been in existence for a considerable period of time, hampers his department’s ability to fix problems that are within its reach.
For example, when there is a leak in a market, it can be taken care of, immediately, with the cash garnered but the Markets Division would have to first go through the Council’s general fund, he explained.
Griffith observed that some of the Council’s departments are more service oriented and would need finance to provide the services.
He said, unfortunately though, the takings by the Markets Division would be utilised to fund those non-revenue areas.
Griffith said, unless this system is changed, the markets will continue to have problems.
He said, because stallholders pay their rents to the Markets Division, they look to it to solve the problems that arise. However, he reiterated that his department does not have the capacity to spend and would feel impotent when unable to provide relief.