The New Amsterdam Mayor and Town Council yesterday issued a stern warning to those vending on the reserve to return to the market as they will soon conduct a removal campaign to ensure their drainage project can be successfully completed.
Due to vending on the reserve, there is a constant traffic congestion within the market area.
General Foreman attached to the New Amsterdam Mayor and Town Council, Charles Johnson yesterday explained that last year they started their Strand, New Amsterdam, drainage project. In 2023 they completed 60% of “desilting within the Strand area and we are expected to complete the other 40% by the end of 2024.”
However, he revealed that the situation at hand currently is that they are faced with encumbrances on the road shoulders stopping them from continuing the project at the moment “mainly structures, stalls, abandoned vehicles that are left there and this is impeding on our timing in order to complete this project.”
As such, during their first press conference for the new year yesterday, Johnson said, “We are appealing to the public, persons occupying the reserves, whether you are selling and you have a structure there, vehicles or other encumbrances we are going to be shortly rolling out a campaign to have those removed.”
He continued, “Once removed some will be destroyed and others will have to pay a fine in order to recover same.”
According to Johnson, several notices were sent out to the people on the reserve and as such following the public appeal, they will then roll out their campaign to remove those that have not adhered to the notices.
Stabroek News was told, that the campaign is likely to commence at the end of the week targeting areas such as Strand Road in the vicinity of the market moving north and south, and extending to the Main Road, and to Republic Road, “those are the three main areas that we will be tackling immediately, however, this campaign is going to roll out to parts of Stanleytown and other parts of the town.”
Additionally, Johnson said, that people who are selling “greens and other perishable goods” were also given notices to return to the market as of January 2024. “At the same time we are dealing with the drainage project we will also have those persons removed and brought back into the market.”
He said that they have also put together a team to make checks throughout the town daily to ensure that people are not returning after the campaign of removal is carried out. “We have a team that will be doing daily checks and inspections to ensure persons are not where they are not supposed to be.”
Meanwhile, it was further noted that works have commenced on preparing a location within the town for a night market – a project expected to be carried out at the earliest.
