–Deputy Mayor complains about situation in Stabroek Market area 

MINI-BUSES and taxis, such as those in front of Demico and the old KFC building on the Stabroek Market Square, continue to operate in an ad-hoc fashion contributing to “total chaos” in the area.

Georgetown Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan made the observation recently as he was complaining to the City Council about various issues that are plaguing the said square.

What is more, Duncan noted, is that the constables on duty seem not to care when the rules are being broken on a daily basis.

“Where the Kitty buses are, when the lanes are full, the hot-plate buses are occupying almost half of the roadway. So traffic coming from the Parliament Buildings has to use one lane because these other buses are waiting on the roadways,” Duncan explained.

He continued: “A lot of Kitty buses are on the hot-plate almost in front of Demico on the people’s property on a consistent basis! What is strange to me is there were constables right in the area who seem not to care.”

Furthermore, the taxis in front of the ‘Satro’ building should not be there.

“Not only are there taxis there, but a special row is allocated to special taxis and a fee is charged. This is also the situation at the Alberttown bus area where lots of buses are on the hotplate and I learnt that buses are parking directly in front of KFC. There are special buses. The streets are very filthy and it is just total chaos there. I saw one constable trying to man the entire area.”

Mayor Patricia Chase-Green subsequently asked Chief Constable Andrew Foo to assess the situation and present a report to the City Council. Meanwhile, several taxi drivers who operate in the vicinity had staged a protest in front of the Public Buildings to express their dissatisfaction with the way City Hall had “unceremoniously” evicted them from that area.

The Council made a decision to have unregulated commercial activities relocated in an effort to restore the Stabroek area that had become a scene of lawlessness. Among the groups removed from the area indefinitely were taxi drivers.