Local Government and Regional Development Minister Sonia Parag chatting with a fish vendor at the Corriverton Market
Vendors displaced by a fire that destroyed a section of Corriverton Market last November are likely to take up occupancy of their new stalls by the end of June.
This assurance was given on Wednesday by Local Government and Regional Development Minister, Sonia Parag.
In November last year, a fire destroyed a section of the Corriverton Market, and the Guyana Fire Service later determined that an electric fan that was left switched on in one of the stalls had overheated and caused the fire.
During his 2024 National Budget presentation, Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh stated that, this year, $1.2 billion had been budgeted to complete five community markets and to rehabilitate the Corriverton, Kumaka, and Suddie Markets.
Minister Parag and Corriverton Mayor Imran Amin inspecting work done to the roof of Corriverton Market
In Corriverton, $45 million is being spent to rebuild the damaged stalls and replace sections of the roof that were damaged due to the fire.
The project is going ahead on schedule.
On Wednesday, Parag visited the project, which is almost finished. Speaking with the media, she said by the end of this month vendors will be able to enter the market and recommence their operations.
“But I don’t want you to tie me down to that. We have a completion date of this month, but we want to give ourselves some space in terms of the vendors being satisfied with what they would be going back into. We have been consulting them as we go along and as far as I am aware, they are satisfied up to this point. I don’t foresee that the transition period would be too long,” she added.
Parag also took the opportunity to meet with market vendors to determine how the ministry can improve conditions.
The issues raised by vendors, Minister Parag said, were fewer than the issues affecting those operating at other markets around the country; issues she said which could be addressed through the ministry. These range from a leaking roof to poor sanitary facilities.
“The Town Council will step in and assist along with the vendors in terms of cleaning their areas. We will support them with some bins. We will ensure that the washrooms are kept clean on a daily basis, because people have to be here for long hours and then there are some leakages in the roof in the older part of the market, we want to see if we can patch those holes and make it more comfortable for people ply their trade.”
Parag has promised to engage vendors again within a few weeks during which time the commitments made should be met.
Meanwhile, apart from those stalls that were destroyed by the fire, scores of stalls had been damaged, and merchandise had been destroyed. (G4)
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