The office of the city’s Clerk of Markets will be relocated from the Stabroek Market to the Kitty Market within three weeks, Town Clerk Royston King announced on Thursday, following reports about the poor working conditions there.
King, speaking at a press briefing, addressed a Kaieteur News report published the same day, which highlighted the deplorable conditions of the office space.
“We are agonisingly aware of the negative state of the office of the Clerk of Markets and not only the office at Stabroek Market, but also, if you go to Bourda Market and some of the other markets, you will see a similar negative situation. It comes down to resource constraints,” he stated, referencing the fact that the council has not conducted valuation of properties in years, which he noted is the main source of council revenue.
The Town Clerk noted that talks about the move have been ongoing for some time as they are unhappy with the existing situation, and said that the City Engineer and team are currently dealing with the “final touches” for the new accommodations.
King noted that it was within the city’s plans to relocate the office anyway, as part of a wider programme which surrounds the development of the Stabroek Market wharf into a modern boardwalk.
He stated that that project, which falls under the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, was due to begin within the first quarter of this year, but said that a number of hurdles have arisen. He added that the City Council has also experienced setbacks, as they are still identifying areas to relocate the vendors stationed there.
