- stallholder calls for city to look at security

The deplorable condition of the Ruimveldt market and the lack of security have made it vulnerable to burglars and a stallholder is calling on the City Council to remedy the situation as there are frequent break-ins.

Rudolph Dainty said burglars destroyed the roof of his stall to gain entry some time over the Easter weekend and carted off close to $60,000 in items. He said that mostly foodstuff were stolen from the stall.

He said that break-ins are frequent at the market, though there is a regular presence of market constables, adding that only recently a stallholder reported a burglary.

Danity lamented that the market appears to have been dropped completely from the city council’s agenda as it is “in a deplorable state and has been for a long time”. He said that no attention is being paid to the market, and that the concerns of stallholders have fallen on deaf ears.

“We complain about it to the necessary people and nothing happens,” he said.

According to him, the road leading to the market has been in an unacceptable state for some time now. He said too, that the market has been without any gates for a considerably long period.

Dainty told Stabroek News that stallholders have raised the issue of security a while ago, but nothing happened.  He said that the gates should at least be provided.

Danity reported his break-in to the police, and said that he is hoping the persons responsible are found. He has been a stallholder for some two years and had never suffered a break-in before.

“It seemed like it could happen,” he said of the possibility of his stall being broken into.

Further, he added that the City Council needs to sit down and listen to the concerns of stallholders because they are many.