Stabroek wharf vendors expected to ink relocation agreement this week

Vendors who have been ordered to temporarily move from the collapsing Stabroek Market wharf will be able to sign the relocation agreement with the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) this week and begin the construction of their stalls, acting Town Clerk Sharon Harry-Munroe says.

The M&CC recently approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which concretises the terms of the vendors’ temporary relocation. At a press conference on Friday, Harry-Munroe related that the site, Russell Square, which is west of the Public Buildings, is currently being prepared to accommodate the vendors.

“You would have noticed that we have a whole public convenience chamber there and it was cleaned by Puran Brothers yesterday. Works have commenced where you will have toilet facilities erected there and we will also be preparing those stalls to commence in the new week also, whereby persons will come in to sign the Russell Square, where the vendors are to be relocated. (Stabroek News file photo) MoU,” she said.

The Town Clerk added that the city administration has already met with the vendors and as soon as the preparatory works are completed, they will be able to come in and sign the MoU and begin construction of their stalls.

“We don’t want them to sign and they can’t begin the works. That is why we are doing preparatory works so as soon as they sign, they can go out and get a location. We were in consultation with them to ensure that they agreed with what we have placed in the MoU,” she emphasised.

According to the document, the MoU establishes a business relationship between the two parties (vendors and M&CC) whereby the vendor would agree to relocate to a portion of reserve west of the Public buildings until the rehabilitation of the Stabroek Market wharf is completed.

Among the MoU’s provisions are that the stallholders will construct their own stalls in accordance with the specification approved by the council, while the council will be responsible for providing orderlies, bins and security lights. However, the stallholders will be responsible for installing and paying for electricity for their stalls.

A grace period of six weeks will be given after the completion of each stall before the payment of rent starts.

All stalls are expected to be a wooden structure.

The rental of the spaces will attract a monthly charge of $6,800.

Harry-Munroe added that the M&CC will be addressing the relocation of the temporary car park that the route 42 buses and hire cars currently occupy after they were displaced by the movement of the vendors from the wharf.

“So we will be having a meeting with the various stakeholders to see how we can address those matters. We will include the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, the Guyana Police Force and reps from the Union and will be looking at that to find somewhere suitable,” she said.

Questioned about where the city is considering relocating the operators, HarryMunroe said she would be unable to say until after meeting with the minibus operators and the other stakeholders.