Stabroek Market Wharf cleanup making significant progress

Works on clearing the rubble from the collapsed roof of the Stabroek Market Wharf continued on Thursday.

A 45-member crew is working assiduously to remove the debris, with the assistance of an excavator and pontoon.

Several government ministers revisited the site for an update. They expressed satisfaction with the pace of work.

Much of the work is being done manually, as heavy machinery cannot be supported on the deplorable structure.

A barge has already been acquired and situated at the rear of the wharf to facilitate the movement of the rubble without hindering the market operations.

Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar said by the end of the day, a path will be cleared through the market for trucks to aid in the cleanup.

“What is on the riverside, we will put on the barge, and what is close to [the bazaar] we will put on the trucks. So this operation will continue today,” he said.

The works are being executed through the collaborative effort of the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, the Ministry of Public Works, and the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC).

The restoration efforts are being conducted in phases, which include the removal of the debris and the demolishing of unstable buildings that pave the wharf.

“When the market is closed and people are gone, and the boats stop operating, we will have to pull down that shed and start the removing process,” the minister explained.

Meanwhile, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Sonia Parag commended the hard work of the team and assured that all labourers are being provided with the necessary protective equipment.

“It is not easy to move the kind of rubble that is there with zinc and so on. Safety is first and foremost, so we are ensuring that they have all the safety equipment that they need to get the job done,” the local government minister said.

Once the debris is cleared, it will allow for a thorough assessment of the extent of the damages.

The government will continue working with the M&CC to chart a way forward for normal operations.