By Francis Quamina Farrier

The Stabroek Market area in downtown Georgetown is one of the busiest in all of Guyana. The century-old market itself is one of the iconic structures in the capital city of Guyana. On its southern side is the western end of Georgetown’s oldest street, Brickdam. In fact, Stabroek Market will be 140 years old in 2021.

For over 30 years I have presented news items and commentaries on television, radio and the print media based on happenings and conditions in and around the Stabroek Market. Most of those articles and commentaries had to do with the condition of the market itself and the activities of citizens and visitors. One of the more memorable is climbing to the top of those winding stairs leading to the tower where the inner workings of the clock are located. The view of the city from up there is awesome. At the time, I was reporting on a group of vising tourists from Suriname.

The Stabroek Market has dominated the downtown commercial area of the city and was the focus of a lavish musical stage production entitled Stabroek Fantasy. That landmark musical was written by educator Cecile Nobrega in collaboration with Guyana’s all-time prima ballerina Helen Taitt in 1956. “Stabroek Fantasy” presented a super glossy image of Stabroek Market and the daily activities around it. The show was extremely popular according to theatre veteran and retired Media executive, Ricardo Smith. “It filled the new Queen’s College to capacity and was a sensation at the time,” he stated.

Now let’s fast forward from the “Stabroek Fantasy” of 1956 to the “Stabroek Reality” of 2020. For the better part, the current situation is not as attractive as one would like. Here is my personal fantasying of what it could and should be; no vehicular traffic on Water Street between the Central Fire Station northward to Robb Street. I visualise potted flowering plants on Water Street from Brickdam to the Church Street Roundabout. All clean as a whistle. I also visualise the name of a prominent citizen of Georgetown given to that roundabout. Vendors encouraged to wear even more colourful attire as they sing out their invitation, “Come Uncle. Woh yoh buying today?” And at the end of every year, there is a special walk-about by the Mayor and the Minister of Local Government. Of course, those are all my personal dreams which I prefer to share, rather than be only critical of life around me.

Citizens who have to do business in and around the Stabroek market, experience the reality of mayhem and madness daily in the minibus parks. Many times I make my way down to the Stabroek minibus park just before sunrise to see and observe for myself, the city waking up to another day. I have reported on the way the minibus operators behave – including the touts. There was the occasion when Commissioner of Police, the late Henry Greene bellowed into the ears of reporters at a media briefing, “TOUTING WILL STOP” but years later touting remains alive and well.

On August 15, there was a scene at the Stabroek Market Route 47 Mini Bus Park which was caught on video and posted on Facebook for the world to see. It showed what can only be described as a “melee”. About 15 to 20 persons were involved, including about six policemen and a minibus. One has to say that those law officers were temporarily overwhelmed while trying to arrest two wanted men. The policemen were being roughed-up as they tried to arrest 28-year-old Troy Glasgow, who was wanted by the police for attempted murder and robbery under arms. Also wanted was 19-year-old Joseph Thomas. When approached by the policemen, they resisted arrest and then is when all hell broke loose.  The suspects were subsequently subdued and taken to the Ruimveldt police out-post.

There is, of course, the other side of the Stabroek Reality – the good and professional minibus operators, which I state from personal experience. Riding in a Route 45 minibus in Georgetown, the bus was flagged down by a few persons who had obviously come from the Georgetown Public Hospital. One, an elderly African man, told the Indian conductor that he did not have money. “A’right, come in,” was the response from the Indian conductor. The Bell twin brothers who operate the Route 40 bus are among the very best in the country. They make their passengers feel safe and special. I have experienced others like them around the country.

During the latter months of 2015, there was a massive clean-up of Georgetown including the Stabroek Market area, which pleased citizens immensely. And while there is always more work to be done, praise must be showered on the city cleansing officer Walter Narine who continues to do a fantastic job. Georgetown is certainly on its way to being even more beautiful and orderly than it ever was during the colonial era. In all of that, the Stabroek Market should lead the way.

Guyana’s beautiful capital city with some of the most awesome wooden buildings on the planet could attract many more tourists in the future. The months and years ahead could be like a merger of fantasy and reality as the city fathers and city mothers together, dream dreams of Georgetown becoming a shining city on a mudflat where citizens treat each other with respect and human dignity. That will certainly be a merger of fantasy and reality in the Stabroek Market area.