– Min. Patterson commits to helping out

THE Mayor and City Council (M&CC) on Monday took a decision to allow vendors of the Stabroek Market Wharf to begin construction of their stalls immediately.

This, according to City Engineer Colvern Venture, is even though the relocation site has not yet been fully prepared.

He said that with the overlaying of the road yet to be done, this means that once the vendors would have erected their stalls, they would again need to move in the near future to facilitate the road works.

But Mayor Patricia Chase-Green and other councillors, at the council’s fortnightly statutory meeting, argued Monday that the council is barely left with any other option than to allow the vendors to begin construction immediately.

One of the concerns being raised was that the M&CC does not even have the $4M that contracting firm Chung’s Global is asking to complete the works at the relocation area, which is west of the Public Buildings where parliament is held.

ALREADY INDEBTED
The M&CC is already indebted to the company for works carried out, and while the contractor has agreed to complete the repair works on credit, he is asking for at least the $4M.
Rather than going into further debt to the company, the M&CC has decided that it is best to allow the vendors to return for now and then ask them to “shift down” in the near future, so as to get the other works done.

Mayor Chase-Green spoke with Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson during the course of the statutory meeting, and he indicated his willingness to assist the municipality in completing the works, but not before November 30.

According to Chase-Green, the minister said he is expecting a supplementary budget for his office, and it is from these funds that he will be able to lend a helping hand. He reportedly said although he is willing to help, he cannot do so at the moment because he has already over-stepped his budget.

It is after the minister will have handed over this sum of money, which is any time after November 30, that the vendors will be required to move again.

Chairman of the Markets and Public Health Committee, Councillor Trichria Richards said that the overlaying of the road is an important aspect of the works to be done, and indicated that she does not see the sense in allowing the vendors to return and then having to move them again in the not-too-distant future.
However, in the interest of the welfare of the vendors, whom she said are losing money every day, she urged that the municipality allow the contractor to work on credit.

VERY UNHAPPY
“I’d be one unhappy councillor knowing that we brought no relief to those vendors,” Councillor Heston Bostwick said.
Monday’s meeting was the last statutory meeting before the holding of upcoming Local Government Elections (LGEs).

Other councillors, namely Gregory Fraser, Bishram Kuppen, Welton Clarke, Ron Persaud, among others, argued in favour of the vendors being allowed to begin earning as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between vendors and the M&CC has not yet been signed, although an undertaking was given for this to be done weeks ago.
As such, many of the vendors are continuing to operate at the wharf, in spite of the threat it poses to their lives, and in spite of the City Engineer’s warning that the facility is in a dire state and persons need to move.

Acting Town Clerk, Sharon Harry has said that the MoU will be signed this week, and that after that is done, the vendors will then be allocated a spot to begin construction.
The relocated vendors are expected to construct the stalls at their own expense and will be paying a rent of $6,800 monthly. It is estimated that one stall will cost some $400,000 to construct.

Additionally, the M&CC has also promised to look at drainage works, sanitary facilities and security lighting, among other things.

The vendors will have to adhere to building the stalls to the standard dimension of 8 feet x 10 feet, and a maximum height of 13 feet. At this dimension, a total of 82 stalls are expected to fit in the designated relocation site.