Persons travelling to the Giftland Mall can now access its services through two routes in light of the arrangements which have been put in place by the Guyana Police Force to accommodate the national recount at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre which commences today.
The FoodMaxx Superstore and Shoppers Pharmacy are the only two sections of the mall that are currently open to the public. They are deemed essential services.
In an advisory issued yesterday morning, Giftland Mall urged customers travelling east from Georgetown to FoodMaxx to use the East Coast Public Road to the MovieTowne road to access the Embankment Road.
“Customers coming from Georgetown will not have access by Conversation Tree, you will need to drive to UG road to get access to FoodMaxx,” the advisory noted.
As it relates to those coming from the east, the advisory added that customers are required to explain to the police that they are going to the superstore or pharmacy to be allowed access.
The arrangements were put in place shortly after Giftland Mall had issued a letter addressed to Commissioner of Police Leslie James requesting reconsideration of the closure of roads which fall in close proximity to the mall.
In the letter, Giftland had said that the closure would place its customers and staff at a disadvantage.
On Monday afternoon, the Guyana Police Force had issued a traffic advisory detailing measures which will be put in place in order to facilitate the national recount.
The advisory became effective from yesterday included the closure of the Railway Embankment between the University of Guyana (UG) road and Conversation Tree, Bel Air to vehicular traffic.
It also noted that persons proceeding to the Caricom Secretariat and those residing to the east of the Convention Centre will be given access to enter the Embankment from UG Road, while persons residing to the west will be given access from Bel Air.
The Giftland Mall falls within this boundary.
Giftland Mall had told James that “This road closure could bring hardship to the thousands of daily travellers traversing the roads and is potentially a health impediment to safe travel…..We are kindly asking for our customers and staffs to be given access from UG Road to the Giftland Mall. Employment at the Mall still covers the welfare of 200 plus families, who will be affected if this road closure is maintained and ensuring that there is 100% certainty of putting these families on the breadline,” it added.
The letter was written by Deputy Head of Security of the Giftland Group of Companies Kenon Sutherland.
