The Mayor and City Councillors yesterday took the City Constabulary to task on the issue of security as “seasonal vending” has started within the city.
At the council’s statutory meeting, Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine and several councillors grilled the constabulary on a security plan for the city, which they had asked for a while ago.
Narine told the council that following a visit he made to Stabroek Market, he observed that security in the area and other areas around Georgetown still remains a problem.
The Mayor noted that during his visit he did not see any ranks within the market, then added that he further observed that persons were seen gambling just a stone’s throw away from the constabulary’s outpost. “It’s a sad situation that these things happen at the site of an outpost. I’m asking that department to exercise their duty… not only at Stabroek, all the markets, day cares and other places where city police and security are placed,” Narine said.
Councillor Heston Bostwick also addressed the matter and stated that he hopes that the council can agree and set a date for the constabulary department to provide the council with a security plan for Georgetown. “I would like to know that they have a plan for the seasonal vending period and beyond,” Bostwick said.
Another councillor, Cynthia Stewart, chimed in and asked if the constabulary has a plan for the city, since the announcement of the seasonal vending. Stewart noted that with the announcement traffic will increase and as a result the plan for the Christmas season should be presented to the council.
On the note of seasonal vending, Narine stated that the space which some vendors were given to ply their trade for the season is “totally disrespectful.” He noted that the size of the spaces allocated should be reexamined by the council and should be a bit bigger.
However, councillor Trichria Richards noted that the spaces given to each vendor is the standard pallet space which is usually given to the vendors for seasonal vending.
Richards further added that if the vendors so desire, they can request to have an additional space and they would have to pay the additional cost for that space. Bostwick suggested that the standard space be doubled per vendor.
Councillor Patricia Chase-Green then suggested that as the standard size is “4×4” it should be enlarged to “6×6” instead of being doubled. After Bostwick noted that some of the vendors who come out during the holiday season have “Jumbo barrels” and the space is inadequate, Chase-Green noted that the spaces are for small vendors and not those who want to sell as if it they have a store.
The councillors and mayor also discussed the use of umbrellas by the vendors. A suggestion was made that all those vendors be required to use small tents in place of the umbrellas. The mayor then suggested that some persons like those who sell fruits should be given the opportunity to utilise tents.
Deputy Mayor Alfred Mentore stood to support the use of tents by the vendors during the “seasonal vending” period. He noted that tents would have the markets and vending spots looking uniformed and better. Mentore added that with the use of umbrellas, vendors might be affected by the rains of the season and further noted that, “we really need to have a better view and aesthetic.”
Both issues are expected to be further investigated and addressed by the council.
