Even though many vendors have been relocated at spots around the Stabroek Market area, they remain dissatisfied and yesterday decried what they described as an “insensitive” decision by the state to demolish two sanitary facilities.
Demolition work continued at the market area yesterday as workers from the Ministry of Public Works and City Hall continued to tear down structures and remove debris. The major demolition exercise was sparked by a grenade explosion at Brickdam and Cornhill Street last Wednesday morning.
Workers, vendor Kota Thornhill told Stabroek News yesterday, demolished two long-standing sanitary facilities—one located in front the Fire Service and the other in front the Stabroek Market. During their 12-hour work day at the market area, the woman said, vendors will have no place to relieve themselves. The two sanitary facilities, according to Thornhill, are the only ones in the area which catered for vendors. “Now, if we want to use the washroom, we going to have to go and buy something at Demico because they don’t let you use they washroom unless you buy something,” Thornhill said.
When Stabroek News visited the market area yesterday only broken pipes with water flowing freely were there to indicate where the sanitary facilities once stood. “They telling we about wasting water but look how much water they waste when they break down we toilets,” the woman pointed out.
The demolition process, Thornhill believed, had not been “uniform” and it seemed as though much thought was not being put into just what the state workers are breaking and why. “It like they just breaking lef’, right and centre without a proper plan,” she said.
Last Thursday, one day after the explosion killed one man and injured 18 other persons, Thornhill and more than 60 other vendors from the area took to the streets in protest at how they were being treated. Afterward, Public Works Minister Robeson Benn and Local Government Minister Kellawan Lall met with vendors. Lall has since told Stabroek News that efforts are being made to relocate vendors without congesting the area.
The demolition exercise, Thornhill said, has affected vendors from Water, Croal, Cornhill and Regent streets as well as many others who operate around the bus park area. However, after vendors spoke out about the sudden drive by the state to “clean them up,” many have been left to continue their business and only those at the Stabroek Market area are being relocated.
Approximately 16 of the more than 60 vendors, who protested last week, Thornhill said, are still without selling spots. She explained that up to yesterday the Ministry of Public Works was still allotting selling spots to vendors.
Although relocated, Thornhill was thankful that she can ply her trade once again.
Slow business
Another vendor, who declined to have her name published, said that she has been given a different spot. The woman said that the area is not as busy as her previous spot on Croal Street and business will be slow.
“Where ah deh right now ah sucking blows,” she said, adding that, “and y’all better don’t publish my name because we getting victimize here seriously fuh talking.”
Charmaine Dowding has also been moved from her regular vending area. The woman explained that vendors were always allowed to sell from 6am to 6pm but before, the constables, according to her, “used to flex” and allow them a few extra hours of night time sales. However, now the regulations are very strict and vendors who have been moved from their “regular spots” will just have to wait for customers to find them again. “I don’t think that business slow up because of the explosion. Really and truly Guyanese people who does be around this part of town a lot aren’t put out or really frighten of what happened because even on the day of the explosion we were getting business,” Dowding recalled. “Is this whole demolition and moving about thing that really slow things up.”
The woman further noted that during the meetings with the two government ministers no mention was made about whether their new selling locations would be permanent.
Meanwhile, about 10 permanent business structures located around that area have also been included; these include Fuggie’s Beer Garden. The only two business structures still standing in that area are Sean’s Fish Shop and K&VC.
The owner of the fish shop has since declined to speak with this newspaper and the owner of K&VC Killian Clarke could not be reached for a comment. However, Stabroek News learnt that both businesses had managed to obtain court orders last year which empowered them to continue operating at the location. The court orders are still valid and are the only things saving the businesses from demolition.
