Albouystown Market stallholders suffering tremendously when rain falls
– Markets Clerk
STALLHOLDERS at Albouystown Market, in La Penitence, Georgetown, are suffering tremendously because repairs to some sections of the building have not yet started, Clerk of Markets Schulder Griffith acknowledged yesterday. Speaking to the Guyana Chronicle on telephone, he said, for the works to be done, funds would first have to be released to the City Engineer’s Department and he hopes the job will commence immediately, as the sellers are inconvenienced every time rain falls. 
Mr. Griffith said about 16 stalls from outside were relocated to facilitate the first phase of the project that the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development is undertaking to modernise the area.
As a result, some of the stallholders are temporarily inside the market while others are plying their trade on certain parts of Sussex Street and another location is under consideration to facilitate more stallholders, he said.
Last January, President Bharrat Jagdeo and Local Government Minister Kellawan Lall met with several of the stallholders who had picketed Office of the President to protest their removal.
At that meeting, Lall had pointed out that there are several options available to those vending at that market, including the use of a tarmac being laid on Independence Boulevard and awaiting repairs to house some of them.
However, he said those proposals still need to be examined and a needs assessment done of the most suitable place for the relocation.
Meanwhile, the repositioning exercise continues to move apace, as many of the stallholders, in their bid to cooperate with the authorities, have removed their structures to facilitate the commencement of works.
Those who were relocated inside the market have begun working on erection of their new stalls while the Works Ministry undertakes a survey ahead of expanding the bridge along Saffon Street.
Despite their cooperation, however, several of the sellers lamented that they do not have the necessary resources to rebuild in the areas designated by the City Council.
Minister of Transport and Hydraulics, Mr. Robeson Benn had advised the vendors that the project is necessary to alleviate congestion caused by the heavy traffic flow in the La Penitence area.