| – Minister WhittakerAs the spotlight continues to be shed on the Local Government Ministry for discrepancies at some Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) the residents of Grove/ Diamond New Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara (EBD) are still questioning the status of their market tarmac which was constructed over two years ago.The Grove/ Diamond Market Tarmac which is set to be opened shortlyAccording to several residents, who once vended along the main public road leading to the entrance of the New Housing Scheme, they were removed from their spots by Government with the promise of having a newly established market tarmac in the said housing scheme.This would allow them to vend in a safer place and provide space for those who depended on vending for their daily bread, the Ministry said.However, years have passed, and while many of these vendors have moved to temporary locations as they await the day they can occupy the market tarmac, there are some vendors who are at a “standstill”.One man told Kaieteur News on Saturday,Cheap Jerseys Wholesale, last,Cheap Jerseys Free, that he used to sell groceries along the public road but was removed from that spot by Government almost three years now.He explained that he was told that a newly constructed market tarmac would be established in a “short time” where he along with other vendors could occupy and vend safely.Although the location was not as convenient, he had no choice, and closed his stall, then waited to be relocated.He said he has been paying fees to the Grove NDC for spots at the tarmac for almost two years. He is of the opinion that his money has “gone down the drain”.“They had us move from where we were, a set of us, and tell us how we would get to go to the market tarmac. To date, we don’t know what happening.“Then we had to go to pay money to the NDC for rental,NFL Jerseys Outlet, for place on the market tarmac and a lot of us did this. Is couple of hundreds of thousands of dollars and we don’t know what happening or what happen to our money. It is years now,” said the man.Others are calling it a “waste of taxpayers’ money” since the empty land is serving no purpose that would benefit the communities.In fact, the youths in the area would use the spot for recreational activities such as playing cricket, football and other sports.Some even use the tarmac to set up tables and chairs to gamble.One woman had told this newspaper earlier that she has moved her grocery stall near to the car park close to Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) and is still awaiting instructions to vacate the market tarmac.Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Norman Whittaker, in an address to the Region Three Chamber of Commerce last Wednesday, stated that the deadline for some of these market tarmacs is June 30.Management committees have already been established for the management of the 11 tarmacs and it is expected that vendors would begin to occupy their spots within the next few weeks.According to Whittaker, the Ministry has ensured that the locations are properly set and that the vendors benefit from a spacious and safe environment.He explained that the tarmacs at Grove/ Diamond (East Bank Demerara),Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic, Enmore (East Coast Demerara),Wholesale NFL Jerseys, Charity (Essequibo),Cheap Jerseys, Bath (Berbice), Patentia (West Bank Demerara) and Pouderoyen (West Coast Demerara) are the first to be publicly opened by the end of this month.The other five tarmacs will be opened shortly after. |
