THE High Court of the Supreme Court of Judicature of Guyana has ordered the removal of all food vendors, hucksters, mobile trucks and other street encumbrances surrounding the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), setting a May 31 deadline for compliance.
The order was issued on May 13, 2026, by Justice Deborah Kumar-Chetty following a hearing in a civil matter between the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and the Town Clerk of the City of Georgetown.
The court granted an order of mandamus under Section 8(1)(c) of the Judicial Review Act and the Civil Procedure Rules, 2016, compelling the Town Clerk to ensure the immediate clearance of vendors and obstructions from designated areas surrounding the hospital.
According to the court order, the directive covers food and beverage vendors, hucksters, mobile vending trucks, carts, vehicles, pallets and storage structures occupying parapets and pavements in the hospital’s vicinity.
The affected zones include Lamaha Street between Thomas and East Streets, East Street between Lamaha and New Market Streets, New Market Street between Thomas and East Streets, and Middle Street between Thomas and East Streets.
The matter was heard on May 13 after a Fixed Date Application and supporting affidavit were filed on March 17. During proceedings, oral submissions were heard, and the Town Clerk, Ms. Candace Nelson, was noted as being present in court.
Representing the applicant were attorneys Mr. Sase Gunraj and Mr. Jayaram Sanasie, while Mr. Everton Singh-Lammy and Ms. Angel Stephens appeared for the respondent.
The order, which was granted by consent, requires full compliance on or before May 31, 2026. The court also issued a warning that failure to comply with the terms of the judgment could result in contempt proceedings, which may lead to imprisonment or seizure of assets.
The ruling adds legal weight to longstanding concerns about congestion and unregulated vending around the city’s main public hospital, an area frequently cited by administrators and patients for blocked access routes, pedestrian obstruction, and public safety challenges.
The mandamus order places responsibility on municipal authorities to enforce the removal of encroachments within the specified zones, marking a court-backed directive aimed at restoring clear access to one of the country’s busiest healthcare facilities.