The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry says it has been inundated with complaints from large city businesses whose operations are now severely affected by pavement vendors.

A statement for the Chamber said that Fogarty's, Courts, Guyana Stores and Muneshwers Ltd were among the companies which had expressed concern about the situation. JP Santos, the statement noted, was forced closed because of the vending problem.

"These established businesses provide significant revenue to the government as well as to the municipality and collectively provide employment for hundreds of workers," the chamber pointed out in the statement.

The body said that it would be a shame if the Mayor and City Council should fail to enforce the law against itinerant vendors and the situation remained unchecked.

"Guyana cannot afford to have more businesses closing," the statement said.

The chamber said that despite initiating a number of studies in the past with solutions to the vending problems and these being shared with the city council, the problem still persists.

"An urgent solution is needed. The law must be enforced," the organisation said, committing itself to working with the Mayor and City Council to resolve the problem.