THE STABROEK Market wharf vendors are frustrated over the sloth in them being relocated to the Route 42 bus park as promised by the Mayor and City Council (MCC).

On Tuesday they told the Guyana Chronicle, that ever since they were told to move business has been slow. In August, the decision was made by the MCC to relocate vendors from the Stabroek Market wharf to the Route 42 bus park. The vendors were given up to September 12, 2018 to leave the wharf area so as to facilitate the reconstruction of the wharf. However, up to this date, most vendors still continue to occupy their stalls there.

At recent a meeting, the M&CC decided that vendors would construct their own stalls, an arrangement they agreed to on the basis that they would be given the permission to start construction of their own stalls. However, this week, the vendors complained that they have not heard from the Town Clerk, Royston King concerning their relocation to the designated area. The vendors explained that the relocation of the stalls has been an inconvenience for them, as they have been losing customers ever since the proposal of relocation. Some said that they felt like “caged animals” as most of the Stabroek Market wharf’s entrances are blocked, as currently there is only one entrance to the wharf.

One vendor complained that constables from the M&CC are blocking their customers from entering onto the wharf area, making it impossible for them to conduct business. “Dem ah cage up people like dem ah animal,” the male vendor complained.

He suggested that in the process of the reconstruction, that the wharf should be constructed in sections, considering that the relocation site cannot accommodate all of the stalls at once. He added that some of the vendors should be removed from their stalls while they repair certain sections of the wharf.

However, there are other vendors who said that while they are in agreement with the relocation of the stalls to the Route 42 bus park, they feel that the other entrances leading to the wharf should be reopened to give them the opportunity to conduct their business, until they are ready to be relocated.

Adding to the frustrations over the sloth in their relocation, two vendors have concerns regarding the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with City Hall, which states that they understand the relocation is temporary and that they will eventually be required to dismantle stalls and return to the wharf once it has been repaired and is able to conduct business.

These vendors view the MoU as unnecessary since they were told that the reconstruction of the wharf will take two years. The vendors who are currently at the Stabroek Market wharf stressed the need for their businesses to continue, and as such is urging the MCC to respond to their concerns about the relocation of the stalls.