By Kenesha Fraser
Vendors at Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast who occupy the roadside and parapet to ply their trade were yesterday urged to go back into the Anna Regina Market, now that it has been rehabilitated to the tune of some $4.1 million.
The market was rehabilitated under the Guyana Solid Waste Management Improvement Project and funded by the India, Brazil, South Africa (IBSA) Fund.
Chairman of Anna Regina Interim Management Committee Toolsie Narine, said, “The project was meant for the upgrading and betterment of the Anna Regina Market. It is known as the old market but we are trying to make it better and new. Many things have to be done and we are trying our best to see in whatever way we can… [get them done].”
Engineer attached to the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Elfred Flouris gave an overview of the scope of works done for the rehabilitation of the Anna Regina Market.
“This rehabilitation consisted of four main items. The first item was the construction of a concrete drain,” he said. “This drain is 250ft in length, 8 inches wide and 1ft in depth. Then there was the installation of four security lamps with all accessories including wires and switches. We also raised the floor at the market’s back entrance about 8 inches high. Fourthly there was the construction of the market’s chain link fence which is 594ft in length and 7ft in height. The project cost approximately $4.1 million.”
Regional Chairman Region Two Parmanand Persaud said he was happy that the complaints of the market vendors and stall owners are not as frequent as before, since there is the assurance that security is provided.
“We tried to strengthen the chain link fencing around the market so that the people can feel better secured and we also put places where security guards can overlook the interest of all the people…,” Persaud said. “Over time we hear about flooding in this market especially when we have heavy downpours and two things we examined before we came up with the project which was that the floor is very low in certain parts of the market and the construction of concrete drains so that there can be better drainage. Through the Region we also excavate the trench outside of this market so overall we create a better condition.”
Persaud added that there was no proper lighting systems for the market, so electrical works were done.
Meanwhile, he expressed concern about illegal vending on the parapet and asked that the Town Council take action to counteract the issue.
“We know that it is the Christmas holiday and we had meetings with the Guyana Police Force, the Fire Service and the Army so you will see an increased presence at Anna Regina and around the Essequibo Coast area,” he added.
Programme Analyst Trevor Benn, who represented the United Nations Development Programme at the commissioning, noted the importance of the rehabilitation at the Anna Regina Market.
He said the rehabilitation of the Anna Regina Market was the first of five projects to be commissioned and that the project is important in finding a way to improve solid waste management throughout the country.
“It is important that stall holders assist the region in maintaining the facility that you have here today. I am happy with the work that has been done based on the contract so far. We are not going to always have 100 percent of whatever we request because of all kinds of issues. There is a role for every citizen of the township to assist in maintaining the work once completed,” Benn said.
In his feature address, Local Government Minister Norman Whittaker said the stall holders are very privileged to be selling under improved conditions.
“The first thing I wish to do is to express thanks to the governments of India, Brazil and South Africa that provided the funding to support this project and other similar projects,” he said. “Projects of this nature aim at improving development at a community level. Involving the ordinary people in decision making not only [with] the nature of the project to be done but very often the person or contractor who constructs or rehabs projects of this nature come from the community itself or nearby. Projects like these are intended to improve the conditions under which we live and the conditions under which we work.”
Whittaker said that when he met with over 60 vendors two months ago at the Town Hall, he heard from them the reasons why they vend on the government reserves; why they ply their trade on the roadsides and why they take the risk of endangering their lives and the lives of others.
“I was treated to a list of issues that the vendors wanted to see addressed and primarily it had to do with infrastructure and drainage,” he said. “I told them that
though they told me their concerns, [those] could not be used as a legitimate reason to excuse them from not going into the market. I said that we will seek to address as many of the issues as resources would allow and almost simultaneously, we had the approval of the funding to do infrastructural improvements to markets across the region.”
He also said that government is always working to satisfy as many of the needs of the people.
“I want to remind all of us here that needs exist in the education sector. In some communities there are needs to build schools while in others there are needs for furniture etc,” he said. “You all have children who you want to benefit from the education sector and also the health sector.
The success of this project is a result of your request. We sought to address as many of the deficiencies as possible and we expect that you will work with the municipalities and that they too will be proactive and work with the environmental health sector, with the constabulary, with the region to get those people who are on the road into the market building.”
Several market vendors attended the commissioning of the rehabilitated market.
“We want to say that we are thankful for all the work that was done but we also have to have proper monitoring to ensure that these things are kept in place,” one vendor said.
