Let the Stabroek Market keep its tradition

In the Guyana Telephone Directory 2007 (page 21) under the caption ‘Experience the soul of Guyana’ there is a short description of Stabroek Market. It begins with the statement that the market can justifiably claim to encapsulate the spirit of Georgetown. I would call it the heart of Georgetown. It belongs to all of us; we cherish it, and gather there on Old Year’s Night to welcome the New Year.

The description gives the market as occupying 76.728 sq. feet (7128.26 sq. metres) of land and may possibly be the largest public market in the Caribbean. It is said that it ranks among the world’s largest all-metal markets.

It was something of a shock to hear that the parking lot outside of the market, under the clock, had been designated a bus park. Our dreams of living in peace and harmony were shattered when we saw the headline in Stabroek Business of June13, 2008 ‘New tarmac bus park cuts Stabroek market stallholders sales/Business dips 30 per cent in four weeks.’

Stabroek Market before the bus park

“‘What we now have is rapidly sinking revenue for stallholders in the market resulting from the decision to allocate the sole parking space available to customers and delivery vehicles’ to the mini-buses, said the President of the Stabroek Market Stallholders Association.”

It was also stated that when Stabroek Business visited the Stabroek Market the preceding Wednesday the customary throngs of customers were nowhere in sight and stallholders were keen to share what they said was their concern that unless the decision to site the mini-bus park on the square was reversed, trade by jewellers, pharmacies, butchers and wholesale and retail merchants in the market could be further affected.
We can well imagine what it means for stallholders to have to park their vehicles two or three corners away from the market. The return journey is even worse after a tiring day with heatwaves wilting us and no air-conditioning in the market.

For almost twenty years the Stabroek Market car park served as a safe and convenient location for persons wishing to visit and do business in the market. It is situated in front of the clock and persons doing business paid a small fee to park their vehicles and were assured of their safety.

Without the park one would have to leave one’s vehicle some distance from the market and would not be ensured that it would be safe. When it rains also the park was conveniently near to the market.

One remembers visitors coming to Guyana and the first question would be “Where is the Stabroek Market? Can I still obtain genuine jewellery there?” It is for the Tourist Board to enter the fray as the Stabroek Market will in a short time lose the tradition that it took years to build. It may well be that with declining business stallholders may have to relocate their businesses. Let peace and harmony reign. Let the Stabroek Market keep its tradition.