Latest update May 23rd, 2026 12:30 AM
Apr 20, 2012 News
After citing major health hazards in the environs of the Stabroek
Market, the Mayor and City Council’s Market and Public Health Division, has decided to have the area “fully sanitised and free of disgusting and repelling odours”.
Former Mayor and Chairman of the Markets and Public Health Committee, Ranwell Jordan, in an interview with Kaieteur News yesterday, said that works can only commence after being approved of, at the next statutory meeting on Monday, April 30.
Plans for the area also include obtaining a new parking place for the much complained about garbage compactor trucks which are presently, and have for a while, been parked just outside the market’s southern entrance, in close proximity to food stalls and the routes 31 and 32 minibus parks.
Recently, vendors and commuters alike were all complaining about the odours becoming overbearing.
A few days ago, a food stall operator claimed that his business was being tremendously affected by the ongoing situation, since his is the stall closest to the ghastly and unhealthy garbage dump.
The wall separating his food from the health hazard was broken for the second time in a few weeks as a result of the impact from one of the compactor trucks.
The man noted that many persons in the area have fallen ill as a result of the stench.
A few minibus conductors and drivers also noted that from time to time, they would feel “unusually exhausted” and “unstable”, conditions they attributed to the surroundings.
“This here is not easy, when new people come to this area they does ask we how we handling this thing, and that is the time it does smell the least. They have to look after this thing. We does be here fuh hours waiting fuh passengers, and it’s not healthy. Not healthy at all. Is like we got to pay that price fuh make a living,” one driver said.
Several commuters noted that they would always prefer to board the speedboats than wait in a minibus.
“Nuff, nuff people does rather go with de boat than smell this nasty thing. And if it had more boat, we de minibus operators and we family couldn’t eat,” one conductor said.
The seriousness and major health hazards were initially cited after Dr. Bizuayehu Jeffrey, who is attached to the council, conducted an inspection exercise in the area. Jordan noted that, should finances be available, all the markets in the city will also be enhanced.
He said that council had asked that the contractor improve the standard of operation around the market, but was not satisfied with his compliance, and as a result, the M&CC has taken over, and is ready to make the necessary improvements.
Extensive cleaning will be done and measures put in place for the improvement of garbage collection, Jordan emphasised.
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