Sod turned for $528M East Ruimveldt Market rehabilitation

Jul 12, 2026 News

(Kaieteur News) – Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Priya Manickchand, on Saturday turned the sod for the rehabilitation of the East Ruimveldt Market, marking the start of a major redevelopment project aimed at improving the market’s infrastructure and expanding economic opportunities for vendors.

Sod turned for $528M East Ruimveldt Market rehabilitation

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Priya Manickchand (center) and other officials during the sod turning exercise.

The project, awarded through the public tender process is valued at $528,370,300 and has been split into five lots, each assigned to a different contractor. The Ministry is targeting completion within four months.

The redesigned market will feature 237 stalls, an increase of 24 over the current layout, along with a dedicated block for food vendors, salons and tailoring businesses, a youth training centre for tailoring, parking for more than 50 vehicles, and designated spaces for roadside vendors operating around the market’s perimeter. Stall sizes will range from 7 feet by 8 feet to 24 feet by 14 feet, with a height of 15 feet, up from about 10 feet under the current design.

Addressing those gathered, Minister Manickchand said the rehabilitation is about more than upgrading physical infrastructure, recalling a visit to the market on February 18, 2026, during which she met with vendors and saw first-hand the challenges they faced.

“From that visit, we knew something had to be done,” she said, adding that the Ministry has since worked with consultants to develop a design that responds directly to the needs of vendors and the wider community.

Construction will be carried out in phases to minimise disruption to business operations. Officials said several options are being explored to keep vendors operational throughout the works, including the use of prefabricated container stalls and phased occupancy of sections of the market as they are completed.

“We don’t want anyone to miss even a day of work,” Manickchand said.

During the engagement, vendors raised questions about stall sizes and arrangements during construction, which officials addressed.

An artist’s impression of the East Ruimveldt Market

Minister within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Steven Jacobs, described the rehabilitation as part of the Government’s wider vision of building stronger communities through access to quality public amenities.

“This is the first of many to come… What we will continue to do is build stronger communities. We want to make sure every community has the amenities to be strong… We will continue to answer the call,” Jacobs said, adding that contractors would be held accountable for the timely execution of the works.

Minister of Labour and Manpower Planning, Keoma Griffith, also welcomed the project’s commencement, describing it as an investment that will benefit generations of residents.

Also attending the sod-turning ceremony were Permanent Secretary Miguel Choo-Kang, Project Manager with responsibility for Markets Anjanie Ramlall, Georgetown Town Clerk Candace Nelson, former Mayor Patricia Chase-Green, vendors, contractors, and members of the public.

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News