Latest update April 17th, 2025 9:50 AM
Market security high on agenda as vendor’s union meets with city council
Security was high on the agenda for the Guyana Market’s Vendors Union, (GMVU) as representatives of the union met with the Georgetown Mayor and City Councillors, (M&CC) at City Hall yesterday.
President of the GMVU, Eon Andrews, told Kaieteur News that this is the Union’s first official meeting with the City Council since it was formed in 2016.
“There were a number of issues which the union, since 2016, has been trying to meet with representatives of the Council to discuss. We have written to the former Town Clerk, seeking an audience with him on a number of occasions before, but it was never granted.”
At present, Andrews said that there are matters of concern to stallholders and itinerant vendors which must be discussed. Among the issues high on the agenda is the security around the markets.
“We think we can help the Council to have some of those issues resolved. We can help when it comes to issues like the displacement of vendors and so on.
Instead of calling little groups together, the union will be able to provide a better platform and make representation on
(Fourth from right) Mayor Ubraj Narine flanked by President of the GMVU, Eon Andrews, and other members of the vendors Union following a meeting at City Hall yesterday.
behalf of the vendors.”
The GMVU head placed emphasis on the absence of adequate security to help dissuade criminal activities from happening in and around the markets.
“Of major concern to the vendors is security. There are a lot of criminal activities happening around the market and because of that, vendors are losing revenue, consumers have not been venturing in certain areas…
“You would find a lot of persons getting robbed in the car park, especially after six in the evening and then there are these groups of persons who congregate at the entrance gates of the markets.
“We feel that some of those persons may not be of good character and may be contributing to the problem.”
Andrews said that issues such as the removal of vendors from the Stabroek Market Wharf would have been handled better, if the Union was able to be a part of the discussion.
At present, the GMVU has in excess of ninety vendors and stallholders on its membership.
According to Andrews, this includes vendors from the Stabroek, Bourda and La Penitence Markets.
Another issue that must be looked at, Andrews said, is the placement of stallholders.
“There are a lot of people who have chosen to get into vending to make a decent living and to earn but there has been a level of dispute over the allocation of stalls within the Market Squares
We are hoping that this meeting with the Mayor will foster the kind of dialogue needed to assist in the bargaining process,” he added.
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