Stallholders occupying Government reserves along the Timehri public road have until November 30 to remove and the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development has provided a tarmac which those vendors could occupy provided preparatory works are completed.
According to a press release from the Government Information Agency, Minister within the Ministry Norman Whittaker made the disclosure during a walkabout of the stalls yesterday.
Minister Whittaker, the release stated, said vendors were notified on several occasions that they would be required to move in order to accommodate some sections of the four-lane highway expansion. According to GINA, the minister stated that the Ministry held several meetings to notify them, and Government has fulfilled its commitment to construct a market tarmac and to start the construction work for them.
The tarmac has 33 spots, all of the same size and persons would have had the opportunity to select where they wished to be located. “This tarmac was one of many that were constructed by Government and is intended to promote organised vending in Guyana,” the release said.
“Additionally a market committee was also formed from elected representatives of the Timehri Vendors, the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) and the Ministry, which has been, and will continue to manage the affairs of the market,” the release said. According to GINA, some stallholders said that they were not give adequate time to relocate, but it was noted that the Ministry met with them in September 2011 and they were put on notice that they had to remove from the reserves.
“If they are saying the notice is inadequate then calculate September 2011 to November 2012, they were given ample time to move,” Whittaker said. GINA said that Committee members were also urged to contact those stallholders who do not occupy their stalls and inform them that they too must comply. The release said that there is still some amount of the work to be done at the tarmac which includes the fencing which is slated to be completed within a week, wash room facilities, a water trestle, electricity supply and drainage facilities. According to the release, Whittaker has promised that works will be completed in a timely manner. Timehri North residents have vowed that they will not removed by the government from the area they say they have occupied for a long period.
