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Vendors peeved at constant break-ins at Bourda Market
The fury of several vendors at the Bourda Municipal Market raged yesterday morning when it was discovered that bandits were able to access the supposedly secured facility and successfully broke and entered a stall, escaping with a quantity of items.
Owner of the violated stall, Cindy Singh, said that she learnt of the unfortunate incident after a fellow vendor telephoned her detailing what had evidently transpired.
Singh said that she rushed down to the market place only to see that the padlocks which secured the wooden and grilled entrance of her stall lying on the ground.
According to the woman, two City Constables were already on the scene since they were alerted by other vendors of the occurrence.
Singh said that soon after her arrival the officers advised her to examine the stall to see if anything was missing.
Upon entering the stall, Singh said that she immediately observed that four shelves which she used to display cosmetic items were empty as were a stock of underwear that she stored under a lower shelf.
The woman said that she was shocked and plunged into a state of disbelief since this was the first time that such an ordeal had befallen her over the five years she has been operating out of the market.
When Kaieteur News arrived on the scene several council officials including the overseer of the facility, Mr Vibert Carl, were all attempting to ascertain what the loss of the victim amounted to.
However, Singh said that it would take some time for her to determine exactly what was stolen in order to accurately state the value of her loss.
But according to Singh, she is of the belief that the City Council should accept some of the blame for her loss since it was due to their actions or rather inaction that the bandits were able to enter the facility.
According to the woman, it was some time ago that officials at the market informed that rehabilitation works would commence as part of sprucing-up measures for Carifesta X.
The works ensued a few months ago, Singh said, but to date have not been completed, leaving sections of the facility vulnerable to those with criminal intent.
In fact, a few other vendors of the market revealed that there were several other break-ins with at least three occurring in the past month.
According to one vendor who identified herself as Alesha, security is lacking.
She articulated that vendors are forced to pay their rental fee on time every month but the Council does not take the security of their trade seriously, a development which is very frustrating to them.
The vendors’ sentiments were mirrored by Clerk of Markets, Schulder Griffith, who raised concern that the rehabilitation work, engaged by the municipal engineer department, has been put on hold after commencing about three months ago.
He said that he has learnt that some of the vendors have since been plagued by acts of banditry.
This newspaper was informed that the work on the facility was halted following the discovery of asbestos on the roof.
As such officials of the engineer department are expected to seek the expert advice of persons involved in the asbestos removal process at the University of Guyana to help guide the project forward.
In the mean time, the vendors are of the belief that their stalls will continue to be prone to the invasion of bandits or they will be forced to hire outside security to protect their merchandise.
According to one vendor, the constant attacks by the bandits is becoming very discouraging and may even have the potential of causing some vendors to give up vending altogether, though most can ill-afford to do so.
Efforts to contact officials within the engineers’ department yesterday to determine when the project is expected to be completed were futile.
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