Latest update June 13th, 2026 12:40 AM
Min. Patterson talks about D’Urban Park project
-MPI to do work on the Stabroek Market square
Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, has said that as of Tuesday, construction works at the D’Urban Park was 57 percent completed, but the inclement weather remains one of the major challenges.
He made this statement during the commissioning of a new ramp at the Ogle International Airport’s Caribbean Aviation Management Services (CAMS) hangar.
“Up to yesterday we were 57 percent completed,” he said. “Obviously, the big challenge now is the weather. We put in as much as possible to get it complete. Sometimes we have to take everything as a blessing. The weather indicated where the weak spots are.”
“Some of the stands are temporary and some are permanent,” he continued. “When we move them, they are going to go to selected community grounds around the country. I don’t know the grounds, because that is the Ministry of Education. But that is the plan; I will give it to them.”
“They are constructed with screws, so we’ll unscrew them and carry them to the grounds. Hopefully, some grounds can have some (stands).”
Patterson also invited People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Chief Whip Gail Teixeira, to have a sit down with him in order to iron out differences they had with the D’Urban Park project. This comes in the wake of concerns Teixeira recently raised about the way in which the stands were constructed.
“Obviously that is all relative and I will gladly have a seat with Teixeira. I am inviting her publicly to let both of us have a seat and if it is uncomfortable I’ll probably do all I can to make it comfortable. There are bleachers for particular activities. So if Teixeira has a particular problem I will gladly address that.”
According to Patterson, the stadium can only hold 16,000 persons, with another 15,000 outside. He also stated, that the police traffic department had cautioned them that the 50th Anniversary would be far bigger than anything before it. He stated that the National Stadium could not be used, owing to the Caribbean Premier League matches.
He also gave some insight into the removal of Stabroek Market vendors, and stated that now the area is cleared, the Ministry would have an opportunity to do a bit of resurfacing. He also stated that they had not had a hand in it as yet.
“I don’t know what their plans are in terms of getting the vendors back or not. I would ask the City Council to allow us to do some work, which could not be done because of the vendors.”
“So while those temporary arrangements are being put in place, I will do what I can do around the area in line with the plans for enhancing the city. That is what we’re here for, to try and enhance whatever we can.”
Asked whether the Ministry of Public Infrastructure plans would include fixing the public transportation woes, Patterson indicated that the time frame was too narrow. According to Patterson, a comprehensive study would have to be done.
“It cannot be done over a weekend; there has to be a studied approach in something like that,” he said. “So obviously, we’ve already started, (but) the ideal study may not (be focused) on Stabroek Market. We would be reorganizing our entire urban transportation system.”
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