Latest update March 29th, 2025 5:38 AM
Stall owners at Timehri cry foul as relocation looms
Expected road works at the Timehri Public Road, East Bank Demerara (EBD)
Some of the stall owners at the Timehri Public Road, East Bank Demerara, standing in front of their stalls with documents “from the relevant authorities” supporting their claims
have “upset” several stall owners whose businesses are located along the roadway after they were told that they would have to be relocated in less than a week.
Over 30 stall owners complained to Kaieteur News yesterday that for a number of years they were operating their shops and stalls at the said location with the approval of the Regional Office.
Kaieteur News understands that these individuals have until the last day of this month (April 30) to commence the establishment of their new stalls at an area identified by Government for this purpose.
According to some stall owners, the Ministry of Public Works notified them of this, sometime in October 2011, and they have no objection to the move, except that they do not have the finances to construct new stalls.
However, they are complaining that they were given “documented permission” to have erected their concrete stalls, which is the reason they did not establish wooden structures which would have been cheaper and could have been moved easily.
The vendors want to be given some form of assistance or compensation to rebuild their structures at the new location.
Mukesh Rajcoomar, a grocer, told this publication that he and his wife have been vending at the Timehri Public Road for the past seven years and depend on this for their livelihood.
He stated that while the vendors are aware that they have to relocate it is necessary for Government to assist them in this venture since they have not broken any laws.
“We get permission from the region to build and some people get from housing too. You see before we build or anything we have to get permission from the Regional Democratic Council Region Four. We know the road got to build and we are willing to move, but we want some form of compensation, you understand?”
One woman told this newspaper that she is a single parent who is willing to move to the new site but she requires money to do so.
The woman explained that she cannot afford to pay construction workers and would gladly appreciate assistance from the relevant Ministry since she depends on vending to provide for her family.
Meanwhile another single mother lamented that she is far from pleased with Government’s take on the situation.
“I have to buy steel, cement and sand and more things to fix up the shop to sell. If they (Government) can pay for GPL and GT&T to remove their poles and thing, then they can afford to pay we for we stalls… or help,” she said.
“I don’t know what will happen but if we don’t get money to move how can we? We will have no choice but to stay here, you see. We got permission which is written authorization that we can set up our stalls here. Now they are saying it is government reserve. After more than five years I am here and now they say so and this is not fair,” one man explained.
“If we were squatting we would have moved and won’t have put up permanent structures and we would have agreed that we have to move. But they didn’t give we that, they gave us permanent papers and they have to give us back permanent money to build back permanent stalls,” another female vendor added.
Most of the vendors are single parents who depend on their daily sales at this location to make ends meet.
They explained that they do not have jobs elsewhere and cannot afford to do anything else.
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