Restoration of the Kitty market would be in the hands of the next Mayor of Georgetown, city mayor Hamilton Green says.
After a visit to the market on Thursday, Green announced that his days as mayor are numbered and as a result, the restoration and renovation of the facility would be the responsibility of the next mayor. “Local Government Election is a few weeks away and I don’t want to make a prognosis [as to when the restoration would start.] It would have to be executed by the new mayor,” Green said when asked how early works would begin at the market.
The market has long been in a dilapidated state and in 2013, the Guyana Fire Service listed it among the derelict buildings within the city that were fire hazards.
During the tour on Thursday, Green said that they are currently looking at an alternative site to relocate the vendors. “Based on the most recent advice from the engineers, they cannot carry out repairs to the market and … still have vending,” he said. The mayor said officials would have to discuss whether the alternative land space is big enough to accommodate the vendors from the market.
He disclosed that they would be holding discussions with the owner of the land over the weekend “to see where and how we can house those vendors and stallholders temporarily until works are completed.”
The prospective site is located on Shell Road, Kitty.
The owner of the land, Rudolf Dyal said he is willing to rent the land to the city council for the refurbishing of the market to take place. City Hall’s Public Relations Officer Debra Lewis said that initial plans were to relocate the vendors to David Street but vendors refused to go to the site as they said it would be inconvenient for their business and customers.
Green said the cost to rehabilitate the market would be substantial and they are approaching the Minister of Finance and President David Granger “to see what assistance we can get to rehabilitate the Kitty Market and the abattoir and other things that were put on the back burner for the past years.”
He said that the present architectural design would be maintained. “We must keep the design,” Green asserted explaining that it is a part of the city’s identity.
The Kitty Market in its present condition can fall apart at any time. Merchants are still selling inside of the building and mostly fruit and vegetables vendors line the outside of the market. Vagrants also occupy sections of the market to rest their heads and spend their day.
