THE Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development is set to vigorously pursue relocation of roadside vendors from market tarmacs that were constructed and handed over last year.
This was disclosed, yesterday, by Minister within the Ministry Mr. Norman

Whittaker, who said the ministry will be acting on the issue in 2013 and even seek support from the Police.
Speaking on the sidelines of a conference at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara, he pointed out that the ministry has built several tarmacs, at much cost, in several Regions of the country and is very much disturbed that maximum use is not being made of them.
Whittaker said, instead of utilising those facilities, the vendors have, instead, continued to vend on the roadsides and, in some instances, on reserves.
He declared that the ministry is not prepared to allow this to continue and, with assistance from the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs), will be “putting much heart” on the issue.
Whittaker said the ministry has already started to engage the NDCs in some areas, with respect to meeting with these vendors and giving them a timeline to relocate to the tarmacs.
According to him, if this engagement proves unsuccessful, the Ministry will solicit help from the Police, if necessary, to have the sellers removed.
Within the year 2012, the ministry handed over about 10 market tarmacs in communities such as Diamond/Grove, Best Klien /Pouderoyen, Toevlugt/Patentia, Charity, Plaisance, Buxton and Haslington, he revealed.
Whittaker said those considerable investments by the ministry are part of Government’s aim to curb the practice of roadside vending and to achieve the practice of selling in a healthy and conducive environment.