Minister Parag lambasts city council’s negligence in upkeeping Stabroek Market

– says ministry will intervene to alleviate some challenges

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Sonia Parag on Friday again called on the Georgetown Mayor and City Council to upkeep its responsibility to maintain the drainage infrastructure and environment of the capital city.

Minister Parag made these remarks during a walkabout at the Stabroek Market where she interacted with vendors and stall owners.

Accompanied by several city councillors and officials from her ministry, the minister was made aware of several structural issues within the market.

The roof of the shopping centre appeared to be leaking in several places, causing damage to vendors’ goods and equipment.

The local government minister in responding to the concerns affirmed that the central government will do all it can to assist, but criticised the APNU+AFC-run Mayor and City Council for abandoning its responsibilities.

“What we are doing is that we are looking at it [and] seeing what the situation is. We are very well aware that there is a city council that has the oversight of all of this, and year after year [the vendors] are in the same situation,” she said.

Minister Parag pointed out that some immediate interventions will be made to ease the strain on vendors, while other projects will be assessed and completed shortly.

“Some vendors asked for lights for a particular area in the market that is dark at night, so we are going to ensure that is done next week from the ministry level,” the minister explained.

“I am calling on the [Georgetown Mayor and City Council] to do their part in terms of assisting these vendors. These are people who are plying their trade, consumers have to go there all the time, these people are relying solely on these things to earn a living, [and] they can’t do so in a condition that is barely fit for human beings,” she emphasised.

Altogether, the central government has been working on constructing and rehabilitating markets across the country, with $1.3 billion allocated for works at the Corriverton, Kumaka, and Suddie Markets.