With funding from the Ministry of Communities, Georgetown’s City Council has commenced rehabilitation of main access road and the internal road network for the East Ruimveldt Market.
Under the $39 million project, 300 feet of revetment work is also slated to be done.
Works for the project commenced earlier this week and are expected to be completed within the next two months, Deputy City Engineer (Ag) Rasheed Kellman said on Wednesday.
Kellman along with the head of the Markets and Public Health Committee Trichia Richards visited the market on Wednesday for a firsthand look at the ongoing works.
Kellman said he was pleased at the pace with which the work was being executed. He explained that the contractor already begun preliminary works to reconstruct the four internal roads. In addition, he said the piles for the revetment of the drain along the access road were already driven and revetment works were continuing.
Speaking to reporters, Richards said the rehabilitation of the East Ruimveldt Market was initiated after a visit in 2017 by Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan and its deplorable state was highlighted. “The ministry has made monies available from 2018 and last year we had $24 million subvention to do some remedial works in the market,” she noted.
Last year, Richards said the subvention was spent on remedial works for the revenue office, construction of the sanitary facilities, the constabulary section and “other general upgrades in the market.”
Richards, who is also the councillor for the West and East Ruimveldt constituency, said that a decision was taken to upgrade the road network after residents and vendors advocated for it to be treated as a priority.
She explained that the market, which was designed to allow shoppers to drive through, was not being visited because of the deplorable state of the roads.
“As councillor and Chairman of the Markets and Public Health Committee persons have been lobbying with me to get the roads repaired…,” Richards said, while adding that it is sad to see the state of the market.
Richards added that she is currently in talks with the Permanent Secretary (PS) at the ministry for funds to facilitate remedial works to the roof of the market as part of the second phase of works.
“…We are looking to have more moneys to do works for lights and other facilities. These works fall under a great plan that we have to rehabilitate all markets in Georgetown,” she stated.
In addition, the Mayor and City Council has announced that it will soon execute works on the Bourda Market to a tune of $32 million. Works at the Bourda Market will include restoration of the eastern and western walls, repairs to the roof and the perimeter fence. New sanitary facilities will also be constructed under the project.
A team comprising senior officers from City Hall, including acting Town Clerk Sherry Jerrick, Kellman, Richards, and Vice Chairman of the Market and Public Health Committee Councillor Heston Bostwick, visited the markets and observed the works on going.
