GEORGETOWN – Confusion rippled through the Stabroek Market area this morning when workers began constructing fencing around parts of the market square, leaving vendors terrified they were about to be removed during the peak Christmas season.
Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Josh Kanhai, visited the site to push back against the rumours. He insisted the new structure is only a three to three-and-a-half-foot transparent perimeter fence, designed to tidy and secure the immediate surroundings near the public square.
Kanhai said the space will soon include benches, improved cleanliness and even a Christmas tree lighting installation, which he noted was already being coordinated with other agencies. “Vendors are not to be displaced,” he stressed, saying the Ministry remains fully aware that vendors depend on the season to support their families. He added that Minister Priya Manickchand had personally insisted that “no one must be moved,” especially now.
According to Kanhai, the wooden boards now placed on the ground are temporary guides and will be removed after the fencing is completed in the coming days. But while the Government maintains the project is harmless, Georgetown Mayor Alfred Mentore says he learned of the works only after receiving calls from the public this morning, and he isn’t pleased about the lack of notice.
Mentore said he supports development that allows people to earn, but questioned the timing and the manner in which the project was launched. He pointed out that even the perception that vendors could lose their spots causes anxiety at the busiest commercial period of the year. “I am uncomfortable not knowing what is happening here,” the Mayor said, adding that authorities should not be erecting structures “in the middle of the night” without consulting City Hall or those directly affected.
Mentore said he is now trying to find a fair compromise, noting that vendors told him they had not been informed of the work beforehand. He vowed to pursue clarity from the Ministry and ensure a solution that does not hurt families who rely on the market to survive. As construction continues, residents, commuters and vendors are left watching closely, hoping promises of “no displacement” truly hold, especially with Christmas just days away.
