City Hall and Bourda vendors at loggerheads once again

Sep 07, 2016 News

Dozens of vendors in the Bourda Market area were up in arms yesterday after they were barred from vending on Robb Street, between Alexander and Bourda Streets.
When Kaieteur News arrived on scene, the street was completely cleared, with ranks from the City Constabulary enforcing the cordon. Vendors and transporters with canters filled with produce were parked in Alexander Street, contemplating their next move.
Christopher Sharples, President of the Guyana Market Vendors Union said at around 2 am, members of the City Hall enforcement unit came and erected barricades, while other officials from City Hall, informed vendors that vending would not be permitted in the area without any advanced warning.
Sharples said it is his view that City Hall’s aim was to heighten tensions between the vendors and the municipality. However he added that neither the union nor its members would be baited.
The Union President went on to say that the Town Clerk, Royston King, has not responded to letters dispatched to him from the Union. However Sharples said the union will continue to try and engage the Council for an amicable solution.
Contact was made with Debra Lewis, Public Relations Officer (ag), Mayor and City Council who said, the situation at the corner of Robb and Alexander Streets in front of “Mike’s Pharmacy” was very ugly. This she added was a serious problem, which required urgent attention.
She also disclosed that vendors were advised by the Chief Constable and Revenue Collectors to deposit their waste in receptacles provided for them on Orange Walk.
However, they continued to dump the waste, particularly at nights
As a result the area between Alexander and Bourda Streets has been closed off to all vending activities with immediate effect, to allow the area to be sanitized and allow dialogue between Council and the vendors operating in the area
The official also disclosed that the Council is expending more than three million dollars per day to collect and dispose of the City’s waste.
Council is appealing, once again, to all those persons, who do vending in designated areas to honour their agreement with the Council. This includes the following:
• Vendors should not block entrances and exits of legitimate businesses.
• Vendors should have garbage receptacles that are environment friendly.
• Vendors should bring out their goods in manageable amounts.
• Leave pavements, thoroughfares and parapets clear for citizens to use to do their various activities.
• No goods should be hung overhead or placed over pavements, in particular, and other thoroughfares, in the city.
• Vendors must not leave their boxes, trays, barrels or any other thing on city pavements; they should be removed at the end of every business day. Council would remove any such encumbrances found after 7:00 p.m., on any street parapets, pavements or thoroughfares, in the City of Georgetown.

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