Stabroek Market may be closed for repairs - Green
The Mayor and City Council may be forced to close the Stabroek Market to facilitate rehabilitation as many of its facilities are in a state of disrepair, City Mayor Hamilton Green says. Briefing reporters on the state of affairs at the Georgetown municipality last Wednesday, Green said that the town clerk has been tasked to prepare a report dealing with the Stabroek Market which he described as another of the city council's "crisis situations". Green noted, however, that closing the market for repairs will necessitate providing alternative accommodation for stallholders. The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) which is expected to fund the rehabilitation of the historic market, has been asked by the council to treat it as a matter of priority. Meanwhile, assistant city engineer, Lloyd Alleyne, reported that the city engineer's department has prepared estimates for the wharf and stelling portions of the market which are both in a state of disrepair and which have been deemed very dangerous to persons occupying them. Alleyne said that the entire structure of the market is in a state of disrepair and that his department has sent a report to the council in this regard. He also said that the government electrical inspector has recommended that the entire market be rewired. However, there is controversy between the Guyana Electricity Corporation (GEC) and the city council as to who is responsible for the rewiring. The council maintains that based on the fact that all the stalls in the market are fed by meters installed by the GEC, and because stallholders pay the cost of the electricity they consume to the GEC, the power company is responsible for the rewiring. The GEC and the city council have already held preliminary discussions on the matter and according to Alleyne, this matter is still engaging their attention. Alleyne also noted that the city abattoir is in need of urgent attention but because of the magnitude of the work that has to be done and because of financial constraints, his department "may not be able to look at this until next year." He disclosed that the city engineer's department has the manpower to carry out the works but what is done for the rest of the year depends on the availability of funds and materials.
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