Latest update April 18th, 2025 8:12 AM
Vendors operating outside of Muneshwers given until Jan 15 to vacate area – Mayor
Kaieteur News – The Georgetown Mayor and City Council has bought some time for roadside vendors operating outside of Muneshwers along Water, Commerce, and Longden Streets.
City Mayor, Alfred Mentore
The vendors were ordered to vacate the premises in keeping with a court order given earlier this month, for the council to clear the pavement and streets around its Lots 9 and 10 Water, Commerce, and Longden Streets of any encumbrances.
However, on Monday, Georgetown Mayor Alfred Mentore met with vendors, who ply their trade outside Muneshwers Store and told them that he was negotiating for them to remain there until January 15. He told the vendors that since the Court did not give a timeline, he was able to reach a formal agreement with representatives of the shopping centre. “Ideally, from what I’ve gotten and from the discussions I’ve had, I’m pretty sure that you vendors will be able to remain there at least to January the 15th or thereabout so that you’ll be able to sell, to be able to ply your trade,” Mentor relayed to the vendors during the discussion.
On November 3, last Muneshwers Limited secured an order from the High Court requiring the city to remove all encumbrances from the pavement and streets surrounding its Lots 9 and 10 Water, Commerce and Longden streets premises.
As a result the Georgetown M&CC was compelled to issue notices to vendors as required by Section 10 of the City Government By-Laws and adopted under the Municipal and District Councils Act to remove all pallets, trays, tables, mannequins, barrels, cartons, and other encumbrances from pavements and streets immediately. Failure to comply with the notice will result in the Council removing the items. “Resultantly, a storage fee of not less than $20,000 will be applied to all items removed by the Council. Items not retrieved after one month from the date of removal will be sold or disposed of by the Council. The Council looks forward to your cooperation,” the notice warned.
In the judicial review proceedings before the Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire, gave an order of mandamus that is to be directed to the City Engineer to carry out the duty stated in by-law 10(2) for the enforcement of by-law 10 (1) enacted under the Municipal and District Councils Act in relation to the removal of anything left, placed or stored such as to encumber the pavement or pavements and streets around the property. Failure to comply will constitute contempt of court.
A section of the vending outside Muneshwers
Lawyers for Muneshwers had approached the court on October 27th for an order against the encumbrances.
The company had pointed out among other facts that the encumbrance of the entrance to its store and pavement over the years had caused the persons and customers who traverse the pavement to be greatly inconvenienced as at most times the vendors occupy most of the pavement and now part of the street.
“There was and continues to be a loss of revenue as a result since customers avoided the store since the blockage of the street and pavements instilled the fear of being robbed,” Muneshwers argued in its judicial review application.
As a result of the loss of business, the company said it was forced to lay off several employees, and the congestion attracted pickpocketing and robbing of customers and members of the public.
On occasions, the company contended that the congestion was used as a cover to sell illegal substances such as cocaine and marijuana. Further, it contended that pedestrians found it difficult to access the pavements to their property without having to pass through the varying articles.
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