CLERK of Markets, Mr. Schulder Griffith, has acknowledged that Kitty Market remains a threat to life and limb despite many proposals for its rehabilitation having been submitted to the Mayor and City Council (M&CC). Invited to comment on the situation, he told the Guyana Chronicle that he wrote, in the 2010 budget, asking for remedial works to be undertaken but, to date, no major action has been initiated.
Griffith recalled making strong statements, that were unlikeable to many, but the market is in the same deplorable state.
“I am very concerned because, as it stands, the Council needs to look at the market and make a decision as to whether to keep it open or close it,” he said.
However, he would not advocate that the vendors pack up and go home. Instead, he is proposing that the market be covered with a common roof, resulting in the structure no longer being a two-storey.
Griffith said that approach could significantly reduce the leaking and flooding.
“The Kitty Market is a community market. I would be glad to see it return to its former glory. Something should be done, temporarily at least, until the Council can manage to have it completely fixed,” he stated.
According to Griffith, the M&CC was seeking to enter into a partnership with willing persons at the market but, so far, nothing has come out of the proposal.
He said the sum of $1.5M was budgeted last year to ease the problems there but that was insufficient to remove and replace the roofing.
Griffith said he cannot say how soon anything would be done at the market because of the financial difficulties facing City Hall.
Among the problems at the market are damage to stallholders’ property when it rains, resulting in stalls being opened less frequently and loss of business.