Georgetown : The Ministry of Public Works had demolished several market stalls on the government’s reserves at Timehri so as to allow construction of the access road to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Minister of Public Works Robeson Benn told reporters.
The road’s construction has been held up for eight or more months by vendors who initially refused to move. “Even though we built a market tarmac, we built a building, we put in toilets and bath facilities and lighting and a fence, and they wouldn’t move. The Ministry of Local Government also got involved and it was initially assumed that with the new facilities, the vendors would move of their own free will,” Minister Benn said.
To avoid further delays on the project, he said they had to pull down the stalls on the needed reserves. “The thing we need to perhaps do is take them to court so they can be recognised by people as squatters and trespassers, and there are laws against these things”.
He added that despite government wanting to help and putting the measures in place, the vendors refused to move.
Asked about squatters along areas such as West Ruimveldt Front Road, La Penitence and other places adjacent to several of Georgetown’s main drainage canals, Minister Benn said it was a “grievous situation in the city”. South Georgetown floods very quickly, he said, and even when kokers are opened, the water drains slowly. Diseases such as dengue, filaria and possibly even malaria can occur and the situation lends itself to being a public health risk, in addition to public disorder and fractiousness, he said.
The Public Works and Local Government Ministries and City Hall will have to work out a plan to relocate squatters and attempt to restore key drainage facilities along with the health and environment of the capital city, the Minister stated.
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