Stallholders at the La Penitence market in Georgetown are asking for repairs to be done to the roof after several roofing sheets were dislodged during a period of heavy wind on Friday.
Between nine and ten am on Friday, a heavy wind lifted at least 5 dilapidated sheets off of the roof leaving a section of the market exposed for a while until they fell back down and then flipped over again. City workers righted the sheets and fastened them with binding wire.
However, stallholders are saying that this was the second time the roofing sheets have been lifted off due to heavy wind with no attempts made by the Mayor and City Council to have repairs done.
One stall holder who asked not to be named, told Stabroek News yesterday that when the sheets were dislodged, they reported it to the council and some city workers came over and place the same dilapidated sheets back on. “Several times we reported the dilapidated zinc sheets to the town council but they do nothing. They just come to visit when we report it but they do nothing so far. This is what we are facing for the longest while.”
The stallholder added that the matter was never reported directly to the Mayor, but he came a few times to visit the market, and should know of the condition of the facility and the roof and how the rain affects them.
“Until now they haven’t said what they are going to do about it, they haven’t promised us stallholders anything.” It was noted that even the market clerk looked at the condition of the roof and did not say if any action was going to be taken.
Another stallholder, Carl DaSilva, who sells meat, explained to Stabroek News that around 9 am the heavy breeze blew the sheets up and left them standing up until they fell back in place. Then the wind blew again and it happened all over again. “City engineers came, and fixed the dilapidated zinc sheets by hooking it down yesterday.”
He added that when it rains, the water would pour down on some hapless stallholder’s stall, making it difficult for that person to operate in the market since they would have to mop constantly to get rid of the water. DaSilva posited that the town council should come and repair the roof because it is getting worse. He too stated that stallholders are complaining about how the roof is inconveniencing them but still nothing has been done.
