Acknowledging Council situation…
THE Georgetown City Constabulary intends to establish a facility to house persons employed within but residing outside its boundaries.Chief Constable Andrew Foo said the move will serve as an incentive to such individuals as they will not need to worry about travel expenses. Speaking to the media, at his office in City Hall compound on Monday, he said several persons who fill advertised vacancies cannot continue on the job because of having to spend most of their pay on transportation.

Foo noted that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has such accommodation and can, therefore, afford to have ranks stationed in almost every street while the lack of it limits the services the Constabulary offers in the capital.
He made the comparison while explaining the constraints his department currently faces, with regard to staff and equipment.
According to him, the 2010 budget made provisions for the Constabulary to have 278 on strength but it is presently operating with 100 less.
Foo said the encumbrances on pavements and congestion of thoroughfares, increased thefts and other issues associated with the upcoming holiday season, especially in the busy streets, will not be, significantly, reduced this year.
The reason, is, due to the Council’s lack of human resources and equipment to efficiently address the needs and reiterated that, for quite some time now, the Municipality has been in a cash strapped situation.
However, Foo said he will use whatever resources are at his disposal to do as much as possible. For example 100 personnel will be deployed for the approaching Christmas period.
In addition, more mobile patrols will be mounted to regulate vending activities and serve as a deterrent to criminal elements who, usually, intensify their operations at this time.
Foo said, to ease congestion along Regent Street, one of the primary thoroughfares traversed by shoppers, it was proposed that vendors there be relocated to Merriman’s Mall.

Unlikely
But it is unlikely that will happen this year, he said.
Conceding that nothing much or new can be done by the City Council to deal with the issues this year, Foo said the Constabulary will try its best to ensure that vending does not block roadways, although it would be allowed to continue.
He said his officers will also strive to make sure there is no new emergence of vendors to make the roadways and thoroughfares more congested, by curbing the practice of stall appearing suddenly every minute of the day.
The Constabulary has responsibility for the prevention and detection of crime in Greater Georgetown, with similar powers and privileges of the GPF and authority to prosecute persons for offences such as assault, disorderly behaviour, urinating in public places, using indecent language and encumbering pavements.
It is also mandated to provide security at municipal markets, day care centres, koker pumps, City Hall compound and that takes up much of its human resources, Foo remarked.
He said the Enforcement Unit, which deals with itinerant vending and other breaches of the by-laws, is also very small and short of its full complement at a time when the Council is still trying to come to grips with the issues surrounding itinerant vendors.
Foo said the problem remains despite the establishment of the new Vendors Mall on Water Street.
Clerk of Markets, Mr. Schulder Griffith, recently, told the Guyana Chronicle that the once thriving Stelling View Market, in the vicinity of Stabroek Market, is expected to become operational by year end.