Union not convinced City Hall can relocate some 400 Stabroek Market Vendors by year end

By Mark Murray

A body representing the interest of City vendors is not buying that the Mayor and City Council (MCC) has a plan to ensure vendors and stallholders are properly placed to carry out their livelihood.

Earlier this week Mayor Patricia Chase-Green said that the Georgetown Municipality plans to have some 400 vendors relocated from the Stabroek Market area between now and year end.

The Mayor was at the time speaking to the media after being officially inaugurated for a second term. “We have to start consultations again with those vendors to relocate them to an area that is viable for their business,” said the Mayor.

Today, President of the Guyana Market Vendors Union (GMVU) Eon Andrews is not convinced that the Council or the Mayor will be able to properly relocate the vendors.  ” I do not take that Mayor seriously, to be honest with you, you know there are sometimes when people say things just for their PR or like to hear their voices. One has to have vision and this impression that the Mayor makes decisions, the Mayor is just another councillor but all the councillors are equal, it’s just for political reason you have a first among equals that affords her the opportunity to have bodyguards…but they have no place to put anybody…we are well aware of that because if you check the vendors’ problem right now around the market they’re doing what the feel like because basically, it may be a bit dangerous for the Council to even go near these people right now. I do not believe anything that Mayor says nor that Town Clerk,” Andrews said.

According to Andrews what the Union sees when it comes to the efforts of the Council to properly place vendors around the city is chaos and confusion.

The Union represents an estimation of 500 to 700 individuals who are vendors and stallholders from several markets across the City, a population that is slowly increasing. Andrews said it is the vendors and stallholders who are keeping the Capital City alive, reasoning that it is the monies paid by these persons that pay the salaries of those at City Hall.

The Guyana Market Vendors Union is also calling for the Council’s Markets Committee to be more effective in filtering information to vendors and stallholders about future plans and projects.