GEORGETOWN Mayor Patricia Chase-Green has informed anxious vendors that she has no intention of removing them from operating under the canopy of the Stabroek Market.“Let me correct something that was in the papers two days ago — that I am removing the vendors from under the canopy,” Chase-Green said during a meeting with vendors from various municipal markets on Thursday. Assuring that “box stalls” vendors will not be removed for now, Mayor Chase-Green disclosed that those vendors would be dealt with when the National Planning Commission comes on board. She also assured that the identified vendors would eventually be relocated, and noted that they would be notified of any changes.

“But the papers (Stabroek News) had it like if the very next day I coming with a bulldozer or the Town Clerk coming with a bulldozer to move those vendors. That is not so,” she said.

“So I hope that we can clearly understand that we were talking about the passageways that are being encumbered by people loitering all day long while the market is open,” Chase-Green explained.

This meeting with the vendors was held to examine proposals for upgrades to facilities used by vendors. Town Clerk Royston King had previously announced that the area which the vendors occupy needed to be sanitized.

Stabroek News reported on Tuesday that Chase-Green recommended that vending in the canopy section of the Stabroek Market be stopped. That newspaper said the mayor made the recommendation at the City Council’s Statutory Meeting; but at that meeting, Chase-Green had said that a rifle was found “under the clock”, and Chief Constable Andrew Foo had subsequently explained that there were innumerable complaints of illegal activities and narco-trafficking taking place under the canopy.

In fact, he had said that the canopy was being used as a haven for criminals.

Several operations are expected over the next few weeks to ensure that criminal activities in that area are halted. Additionally, the City Council is developing a comprehensive plan for the Christmas Season.