There is a crisis in our municipal open markets
1. The recent vexatious utterances of GT Mayor Ubraj Narine against the Minister of Local Government reflects a deeper, more complicated real time crisis that has manifested, specifically within the ecosocial consumer reach of the MOMS (municipal open market system). But Ubraj inherited from his predecessors M/ss. Chase-Ann Greene and Mr. Hamilton Green, a sordid state of conducting city management – again with direct reference to MOMS. One could start with the East La Penitence as well as Kitty spaces. In the first, what emerged as a PNC “cooperative socialist” initiative, replete with WRMS bakery and “buy local” stalls, has declined and West scheme people regularly display their disdain for the place.
2. The Kitty site reflects the opposite in terms of a rehabilitated public space for goods, predominately greens vegetables, fruits and imported processed items. Chase-Greene and Ubraj have stamped their own brand on the corruption and waste of human resources that can be found in this renovated structure. These declines have a history. A history that suggests that the PNC in the aftermath of the 1960s, created these municipal properties as ‘hubs’ for the manipulation and control of the working class and small scale sellers, whilst at the same time maintaining the status quo at Bourda (expansion of the mall area as well as additional outlets to the south and east of traditional Bourda).
2.1 Here as elsewhere, street stalls and selling lots vastly outnumber the stall owners who actually rent booths, stands or butcheries in the market itself. It is within this context that the La Penitence municipal has evolved into a visible decline for stall holders inside the market, whilst at the same time, the extraordinary of street hucksters over the weekends especially on Sundays. Farm to market canters as well as converted minibus vending has expanded along the public roads except for the location near Toolsie Persaud. There have been at least two or three announcements pertaining to a renovated La Penitence open market. Additionally, one ‘wag’ even opined that this venue should be closed down. No alternative was identified. However, given the location at the southern entrance to Georgetown, it is not an exaggeration to surmise this space becoming an extension of one of Guyana’s major corporations such as ‘China Trading’ or even ‘N Massy’ in such an event.
3. Almost all the booths and kiosks inside La Penitence municipal are bolted up… shuttered. A few haberdasheries selling non-perishables depend on Sunday sales, the fish section is completely locked away. Whilst two or three meat and processed chicken stalls operate on a daily basis, and rely on Sunday as the most active day for shoppers. At this stage it ought to be stated that for decades prior to Covid, petty thieves (cell phones, shopping bag snatchers) posed a risk for the working people. Hence the reluctance of sections of ordinary people to venture within this westernmost sector of Albouystown/Charlestown. Within the market space itself, the Constabulary collects rents and fees even as a ‘raise’ is sought from most of the roadside hucksters.
Issue specific are the following:
• Unreliable and on some occasions no washroom facilities.
• The supply side of meat products at risk from the non-operation of freezers whenever the market is impacted by GPL blackouts.
• The major issue of non-functioning abattoir where corruption is rife given the failures in the abattoir’s pen as well as slaughtering sections. Efforts to rectify the situation have had meager results as Mayor Ubraj and his cronies in the PNC adhere to the plans to impose hardships and worries on small business people. Finally, since the death of Lalta ‘Boxaboi’ Narine some months ago, some persons with stalls located adjacent to his outlet have ceased vending. Not to be outdone, Lalta’s sister Vidya (Vidya’s Enterprise), earlier this month loaded up an estimated six (6) canters of clothing designer/mass market garments that were stocks owned by him and fetched these away. It is not known what has happened in terms of Lalta’s creditors or his workers.