Charity market infrastructure works to begin soon

Vendors plying their trade at the Charity market, Region Two will be enhanced as they operate
within a safe environment due to significant infrastructural works.
The government spent $30M to rehabilitate the market’s tarmac to not only create an enabling
environment for businesses in 2021, but to address the region’s garbage situation. It was noted
that more interventions are being made to construct a steel-framed market shed, which will be
undertaken by the Local Government Ministry and the Guyana Defence Force’s (GDF)
Engineering Corps.

This, it was noted forms part of a broader plan to improve the condition of the market and
eliminate street vending. As such, vendors and residents, alike will also benefit from the clearing
of secondary drains and the expansion of the perimeter fence for security purposes. This also
includes the rehabilitation of the washroom facilities there. “Our intention is to stop illegal
vending on the roadside. Eventually, we are looking to create a mall effect where vendors will be
able to sell their items in an orderly and secures environment. So, this phase one is almost
finished, and later we intend to construct a concrete fence right around with light. Later we also
intend to extend the shed to cover the other half of the tarmac with entrance and exit,” Charity
Neighbourhood Democratic Council’s (NDC) Acting Overseer, Rameez Baksh said.
He added that these works are also aimed at providing some security for vendors and their goods
since there have been cases of burglary. “Everyone will be regularised with standard stall sizes
and in order by section and category,” Baksh said. It was revealed that this direction will
complement the rehabilitation works being conducted at Charity River dam, at the cost of $89M.
As such, about 450 meters of the road will be in reinforced concrete while the remainder will be
done in asphalt.
Meanwhile, Regional Vice-Chairman, Humace Oudit said that while the road network is one of
the region’s most important thoroughfare, it was sinking despite efforts to reinforce it. “This road
project will bring great relief to residents, businesses and farmers who traverse daily to transport
their produce from Pomeroon to the various markets. For years, we had lobbied for this dam to
be reconstructed, since every time there is a high tide, it causes flooding. So now with the
government’s intervention, this will be a thing of the past,” Oudit declared.