A NUMBER of local market tarmacs which were constructed for millions of dollars several months ago are still not in use, and some officials are blaming this on stallholders’ unwillingness to relocate their businesses. Chairman of Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara) Julius Faerber told the Chronicle yesterday afternoon that the regional administration “cannot put the tarmacs in use at present” because of certain problems being encountered.
Questioned on these problems, Faerber would only say that the problem lies with stallholders who do not wish to relocate because they fear losing business.
Regional Executive Officer (REO) for Region Four (Demerara/Mahaica), Mr. Donald Gadraj, told this newspaper last week that the tarmacs in his jurisdiction were never meant for everyday use.
He insisted that they were all occupied, and that portable stalls operated there, so that after business, stallholders would remove their structures. He said the tarmacs are used for purposes other than for business.
The idea behind the construction of tarmacs was to ease congestion on the roadways, and bring a halt to roadside vending.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Mr. Nigel Dharamlall, told the Chronicle last August that the only tarmac fully in use is the one at Charity, on the Essequibo Coast.
The tarmac situation is still something that the ministry is “grappling” with, he noted, adding that the issue has to do with the culture of market vending.
Dharamlall also offered that the vendors would take some time to get used to the new business sites.
Former Local Government Minister, Mr. Kellawan Lall had signed contracts on October 12, 2009 for construction of tarmacs at Enmore, East Coast Demerara; Phoneix Park,Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara; and De Willem, West Coast Demerara, with contractors who had given the undertaking that the job would have been completed in three months.
The Enmore contract was awarded to K.B and B Contractors from De Hoop, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara. The 77-metre by 62-metre structure cost $29,130,688.
The one at De Willem went to Eagle Transportation and General Construction Limited for $7,984,735; and at Phoneix Park Pouderoyen, Annirud Ramcharitar undertook the work at a cost of $29,983,250.
Last August, the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) accepted bids in relation to the construction of another market tarmac at Mahaica. The old market will reportedly be demolished to facilitate the tarmac, which has an estimated engineer’s cost of in excess of $85M.
In underscoring the need for market tarmacs, Lall had said that several markets were overflowing with vendors, and that comfortable venues must be made available for buying and selling.
He also mentioned that the tarmacs were intended to be used for community activities, but were organised under the market rules for residents to be able to obtain quality foods.
Around that time, Faerber had likewise spoken in favour of the tarmacs when he said that roadside vending posed a threat, not only to road users, but to stallholders themselves.
The Regional Chairman had also told the Chronicle that it is illegal to sell alongside the roadway. But, to date, stalls are still lining the thoroughfares.