— City Hall removes vendors from western pavement of Demico House 

DUE to an increase in the prevalence of criminal activities under Demico House, the Mayor and City Council (M&CC), through the City Constabulary, took a decision this week to remove vendors from the western side of the business.
On a site visit Friday morning, having already removed the vendors on Tuesday, Constabulary Superintendent Laurel Gittens told the Guyana Chronicle that close to 50 persons were arrested last month for crime-related activities.

What is alarming, according to her, is that among those being arrested are school- children who are often found loitering during school hours, and in possession of offensive weapons. The parents have to be contacted before the family is referred for social services.
“From time to time, citizens have been complaining of being molested on this part of the pavement and around this environment, causing an obstruction of business; and persons are unable to use this carriageway freely,” Gittens explained.
She said the officers have decided to start this operation because the ‘Christmas season’ will soon be here.

“We’re trying our best along with the Guyana Police Force (GPF) because we are into the Christmas season. So if we don’t start at some point, by the time the Christmas season is upon us, we won’t be able to control what’s going on.”

M&CC Public Relations Officer Debra Lewis, who was also on the scene, offered that the notices were served to the vendors both verbally and in writing.
“We have information about the western carriageway where criminal activities are prevalent. The whole focus is to rid the area of criminal elements and to allow citizens to traverse the area incident-free. Not that we want to deprive anyone of their livelihood, but it’s in the interest of all those who are in the area,” Lewis remarked. According to her, Banks DIH Limited wrote to Mayor Patricia Chase-Green expressing concern over the safety of those who traverse the area.
“This is a portion of Banks property, and they are taxpayers. So if they make a request to the Council, then we have an obligation to carry it out,” Gittens rejoined, adding that the vendors in front of the business on Croal Street were allowed because the majority of them are on the Council’s reserves.

Lewis continued that because those who operate liquor shops in the area provide no washroom facilities, customers often resort to using the drains.
“Drains are being used as public toilets and that is not good for the citizens.”
The M&CC has often been criticised for allowing vendors to creep back into the very locations from which they were removed. But this time, Gittens said it is a possibility that the Constabulary will collaborate with the GPF to have officers stationed at strategic points. In fact, she disclosed that police booths will be set up all across the city as Christmas gets closer.

One vendor well known as “Scratchy,” told reporters that he has been operating a stall there for the past 25 years and that he makes it his duty to keep the place clean, even paying for his garbage to be removed.
Claiming to be the first vendor under Demico, he lauded the work of the M&CC and said although he complied and removed, he will still continue to hustle, but in the right way.
He called for a greater police presence in the area, especially on Friday and Saturday nights, because he said he continues to witness numerous robberies about which he cannot do anything.