By Bebi Shafeah Oosman
NEW AMSTERDAM is set to benefit from a major upgrade to its commercial infrastructure with the construction of a new market designed to accommodate approximately 320 vendors and provide a more organised and comfortable environment for both vendors and shoppers.
Minister of Local Government, Priya Manickchand, on Friday, officially turned the sod for the new facility, marking the beginning of a project expected to significantly improve vending conditions in the township.
The new market is being designed to accommodate vendors currently operating within the existing New Amsterdam Market, as well as those vending in surrounding areas. This is expected to address longstanding challenges relating to congestion, limited vending space and the need for improved facilities.
With accommodation for approximately 320 vendors, the facility will bring more vendors into a structured market environment while providing residents with a more convenient and orderly space in which to conduct business.
The market is divided into four lots with contracts awarded to the contractors through the public tendering process to a total tune of $1,029,898, 477.
The Minister explained that building one will have two levels with an elevator and house “dry goods, food stalls, male and female washroom”, building two will also have two level with a 160 vegetable stalls “six dry goods stalls, office area on the second floor, male and female washroom,” while building three will be one level construction with “thirty three meat stalls, divided and seperated based on the meat” as well as an over six thousand square feet for the vendors on the road.
The development is also expected to enhance the overall appearance and functionality of the commercial centre of New Amsterdam, which serves as an important hub for residents from across East Berbice-Corentyne.
The sod-turning represents another step towards modernising public infrastructure in the region and improving the conditions under which small businesses and vendors operate.
Manickchand on Friday told those gathered that it is important to “open your eyes” and see where action and love is coming from, “we love you and we are telling you that in words but we are also bringing services to make sure your life is better, your children’s life get better, your grandchildren get another reality from your reality, that’s the kind of thing you want.”
Pointing out that the market is old, however, keeping to its old charm, Manickchand added, “We didn’t deviate too much from the archiecture from the beautiful market that you had, we wanted to make sure that we while we are building we don’t shut any vendors down because you still have your mortgage to pay, you still have your rent to pay, you still have to send your children to school so we were not going to shut down any vendor.”
Additionally, she took the opportunity to point out that with construction there will be inconveniences.
However, she stressed that the new market will be organised, “not somebody selling fish here, somebody selling dry goods next to them, somebody selling clothes and you get fish scale on the clothes…” As such there will be designated sections with a “dedicated food court, so we can come and get our egg ball and puri, and other things…”
Further, she noted that a modern sanitary facility with “comfortable seating areas and supporting services, like admin office and so on.”
Meanwhile, the Minister also divulged that a few months ago the town was given a compactor garbage truck and they will get another one so that they can probably dispose of garbage and better manage the solid waste within the town.
For many vendors, the new facility is expected to provide a more secure and suitable location from which to earn their livelihoods, while shoppers will benefit from improved accessibility and a better organised market environment.
