Court ruling unlikely to displace vendors from acquired TPL land
Guyana Chronicle
July 30, 2003
Georgetown Mayor and City Council officials at the press conference. From left are: Deputy Clark of Markets Mr. Errol Brisport, Clark of Markets, Mr. Shuler Griffith, Acting Town Clark Andrew Garnett and Deputy Mayor Mr. Robert Williams.
Georgetown Mayor and City Council officials at the press conference. From left are: Deputy Clark of Markets Mr. Errol Brisport, Clark of Markets, Mr. Shuler Griffith, Acting Town Clark Andrew Garnett and Deputy Mayor Mr. Robert Williams.
By Jaime Hall
Vendors occupying the plot of land on Water Street formally owned by Toolsie Persaud Limited (TPL) were yesterday given assurance by the City Council that pending appeals now before the court on the quantum to be compensated to TPL are not likely to interfere with the occupancy.
The appeal followed a court ruling last week by Justice B.S. Roy for government to pay TPL $260 million compensation for occupancy of the land where stalls were demarked to accommodate some 347 vendors.
Acting Town Clark, Mr. Andrew Garnett, during a press conference at City Hall yesterday said the council is in possession of a document issued by the Office of the President to the Ministry of Finance and the Attorney General which states the Government has accepted the decision of the court and are going to abide by that.
But there are some mixed signals going out by the vendors on the question of ownership of the land, he noted.
The appeal filed by TPL has raised concerns by the vendors who are worried about their future occupation and development of the area for a marketing zone.
Garnett hastened to clear this position emphasized that it has nothing to do with occupancy of the site and the overturning of a decision to pay.
Government has expressed the willingness to pay and they have documented their willingness to abide by the court ruling, he says.
Initially, TPL was asking for $475 million for the property, but the government was only offering $100 million.
A court ruling by Justice B.S Roy during last week ordered that the government should pay TPL $260 million compensation but this ruling is now a subject of an appeal.
"The courts can rule on decisions, which has to be carried out, but administratively there is no intension of removing from the site the occupancy". This position by the authorities is documented, he states.
According to Deputy Mayor Mr. Robert Williams the acquisition of the land was a decision taken by the Parliament earlier this year among the political parties represented there and there where there was no dissenting votes.
Members of the Vendor's representative body during the press conference said they were generally satisfied with the way in which the council handled the allocation of lots for stalls to the vendors. However there were some other concerns.
Representative Olorisa Mwanaza Aku saif the allocation process was fairly opened and could not believe it could not be done any better to limit hic-ups that they would have encountered.
But some of the long-term question that the vendors have includes looking at the esthetics that would be attached to the new site.
They want to have a more long- term viable structure rather than those made of tarpaulin or cardboard, which would not have a proper appearance Aku says.
For security a plan has already been formulated with Security Officials at the council but would be put into more concrete plans. It was proposed that the vendors would be responsible for their own internal security while the Constabulary will have the overall jurisdiction of the entire compound.
He said that there has been a number of complaints from the both the vendors and the City Council that is causing serious problems with the relationship between both parties.
But in many cases these problems are based on misinformation. So the vendors' body is urging the Public Relations Department of the council to do more work in reaching people on the ground.
