Georgetown: The Mayor and City Council (M&CC) Tuesday aired concerns which is hampering the development of the city markets and by extension their businesses. Stallholders, operators at the city’s two major marketplaces; Stabroek and Bourda, expressed difficulty with the unavailability of parking, poor toilet facilities, poor lighting, security, flooding and constabulary officer’s involvement in illegal matters.
City Mayor Hamilton Green and his delegation met with the vendors in the market to identify issues affecting them.
Vendors said that they are losing business because of the inconvenience the unavailability of parking is posing.
Additionally, persons in the Bazaar area were concerned and even upset about the unavailability of an off loading area.
The increase of petty thievery was also discussed. One vendor opined that the constant occurrence is scaring away customers; “persons are afraid of being pick pocketed.”
As it relates to health, the vendors called for additional toilet facilities to be built, while requesting that the existing facilities be opened later in the evening to facilitate vendors packing working after closing hours. One woman explained that people would urinate and defecate around the toilet areas. Another man said, “if KFC is closed or you can’t make it to Demico you have to do it where you can how you can.” The man said that vendors are left without an option.
He said, “The same thing goes for the garbage situation. After certain hours you have nowhere to throw your garbage and if they catch you, you are fined.”
Bourda Market had similar concerns. They requested however that lights be placed at the markets Green area which they say is dark at night and prone to criminal activities.
Mayor Greene told the vendors that from the Mayor down; the Council have its shortcomings “We have our short falls, but government has not allowed the Council to breathe. We can't exhale.”
Greene was explaining that the Council lacked three main components for effective operations; money, manpower and machinery. He mentioned the ongoing battle between the Council and acting Town Clerk Carol Sooba as affecting Council operations.
The Mayor however reiterated calls for the vendors to organize themselves into a market committee that could speak on their behalf. He also advised that the committee send a delegation to speak with the president and Works Minister to address the issues they face.
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