REGION Two Regional Executive Officer, Rupert Hopkinson has announced that a new structure will be built to replace the old dilapidated Charity Market Wharf.

He made this disclosure during a press conference held with media operatives Tuesday morning at the Regional State House. Hopkinson said plans are in the pipeline to construct a new structure for vendors. He said that the construction of the new wharf falls directly under the Regional Administration and as such an engineer’s estimate for the project was also submitted.

He said the structure would require extensive works and asked vendors to vacate since it is unsafe for them to continue to vend on the “obsolete” structure. Hopkinson said that several conversations were held with vendors to move and as such a request was made for another area for them to relocate. He said he will be visiting the Charity area to identify the spot Tuesday evening.

“As it is it is not safe for vendors to continue, it’s a threat to their lives and they must abide, we at the Regional Administration are doing everything possible to ensure that things are put in place to sustain vendors’ livelihood,” Hopkinson said.

In January Region Two Regional Chairman Devanand Ramdatt had raised his concerns regarding the condition of the wharf in the media calling for the Ministry of Public Infrastructure to pay attention to the structure. However, Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson had said that it is the responsibility of the Regional Administration to construct same.

Ramdatt during a prior interview on the matter had said last year August that the Region had communicated with the Ministry about the structure and the urgency for remedial work to be conducted. At the moment the pillars of the greenheart structure are rotted and are currently shaking.

Meanwhile a report presented by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Engineer at the recent Works Committee meeting revealed that the structure had dropped 6 inches into the water and the marketing centre itself has numerous cracks. The engineer’s findings also revealed that most of the piles beneath the structure can no longer support it. The solid concrete wharf is sitting precariously on a few remaining piles that are likely to collapse. The structure is 32 years old and requires urgent attention as over 30 persons utilise it to earn a living by vending.

During interviews conducted with vendors they said they have accepted the decision to move but they questioned where they will go. Many vendors related that they depend on vending to support their family and call on relevant authorities to take that into consideration. Guyana Chronicle understands that the Charity/Ursara Neighborhood Democratic Council had placed bars in an effort to block vehicles from traversing on the structure.