THE move by the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) to relocate some 50 vendors from deteriorating sections of the Stabroek Wharf to the East Bank Bus Park has unnerved minibus operators who previously occupied the spot.

Some of the route 42 minibus operators abiding by the councils instructions to temporarily relocate to Bugle Street are complaining that not all the operators are complying, thus limiting their customers.

“We welcome the changes, the City Council has to do work but you got to put stringent measures in place. You can’t have 25 buses here but 40 working [at the previous spot]…we are law abiding citizens here, fellows who want to do the right thing but we’re suffering,” one minibus operator who opted to remain anonymous stated.

On Wednesday, Town Clerk Royston King met with the minibus operators to discuss the matter in full relaying that the council will be addressing non-compliant operators even as it works to provide greater security for the new temporary park.

The need for security came about after several operators raised concerns about exposure to criminal activities in the isolated area. As such, King announced that security services will be provided through the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and City Constabulary.

Meanwhile, he added that the relocation being organised for the 50 vendors is just the initial number as over 90 vendors occupy the hazardous wharf in total.

At the same time, any remaining vendors will not be permitted to occupy the wharf after two weeks based on the decision of the M&CC regarding their safety. “We decided that we will relocate those vendors who are in harm’s way to a portion of this reserve west of the Parliament building. We’re in the process of doing works, repairing the area to relocate those vendors,” he said, adding: “We’re [also] in the process of preparing this road for resurfacing. We have an agreement with cars that usually do short drops to come here in two lanes and there are some other conditions to which we have agreed and we will work with them and you will see this happening within another 3 to 4 weeks.”

King said the initial cost for such is approximated at $7M-$10M which will see the overlaying of the road and erection of washroom and sanitary facilities for better accommodation of the vendors. The Town Clerk stated that thus far the M&CC seems to be headed in the direction where they will not be collecting rent from the vendors at the new location.

“Because we’re not housing them and accommodating them in an ideal situation perhaps it might be the best thing to do, the most ethical thing to do, to not take any rent initially from those persons who will be operating there,” he said.

The M&CC is still ironing out the details with the Clerk of Markets and City Engineer about whether the vendors will be housed in stalls, tents or other means. King said: “Whatever we do will we will have a certain standard that will allow them to operate in a decent manner and not like having a shanty town because they’re only West of the Parliament Building.”

However, he noted that portions of the new spot where the vendors are to occupy have historical value as it once served as a place for the washing of African slaves prior to their auctioning. As such, the floor of the location lined with cobble stones, will not be disrupted but repaired to later serve as “a special monumental park” for further preservation.