Latest update November 29th, 2024 1:00 AM
City markets’ improvement high on agenda for 2009 – senior officials
Computerisation of the information relevant for the operation of the municipal markets is high on the agenda for this year, and according to Clerk of Markets, Schulder Griffith, efforts have already been made to budget for the undertaking.
However, he pointed out that the actual implementation of the enterprising initiative is dependent on whether money will be made available.
Deputy Clerk of Markets, Errol Brisport
Griffith, during an interview with this newspaper yesterday, disclosed that so important the move is considered to be towards the development of the markets that it was proposed for the past three years.
“Three years consecutively we have been putting that in our budget…but sufficient funds have not been available to procure the relevant materials,” Griffith related.
As part of the improvement plan, he disclosed that there is a proposed aspect of redesigning the system whereby persons could come in and pay rather than having an officer venture to the various locations to collect monthly market fees.
Griffith explained that stallholders pay in varying categories, with some being required to pay fixed rent and others non-fixed rent in the form of landing fees and for casual vending, an amount which is paid on a daily basis.
Regular vendors on the other hand, according to Deputy Clerk of Market, Errol Brisport, are charged per square foot of the stall. However, for example, at the Stabroek Market, vendors are also charged based on their overall operation.
“We add on some percentages if they utilise more water than normal…they pay a percentage for that, if they generate more garbage they pay a percentage for that also. So it has a lot to do with the size of the stall among other things.”
In total, the five municipal markets – Stabroek, Bourda, La Penitence, Kitty, East La Penitence – and the Vendors’ Mall offer accommodation to some 5,000 stallholders, Brisport pointed out.
And according to him, the payment of the vendors is more than adequate to maintain the operation of the markets since the vendors are also expected to pay a contribution towards the maintenance of the respective markets.
“This covers all of the maintenance and operational costs plus a return in investment from which an amount is paid to the City Council.”
Last year, the markets, Brisport disclosed, raked in a whopping $161M of which $75.2M was devoted to the payment of salaries.
And in order to ensure that the markets will operate more optimally this year, plans are also apace to renovate various sections of the markets, including the Mall, where enhancement works have already commenced.
Clerk of Markets, Schulder Griffith
According to the senior officials, the repairs slated for all of the markets have been budgeted for, adding that much focus will be on fixing leaky roofs and deteriorating walls. Lighting fixtures are also slated to be completed at some of the markets, too, they disclosed.
It was categorically emphasised that “the market can generate more money if the basic things are kept up to standard,” a feature which will be undertaken this year with a view of improving the market environment.
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