MACKENZIE Market vendors have complained about the ‘unbearable’ garbage situation that continues to adversely affect their businesses. At a consultation arranged last Friday afternoon by the Linden M&TC to facilitate a one-on-one discussion with the vendors, to ascertain the issues that on a daily basis affect them in their work areas, the garbage situation at the Mackenzie Municipal Market — consisting of the municipal wharf, municipal market, arcade and old market stalls — was repeatedly raised by several vendors, who described the situation as “disgraceful”.

Linden Mayor Carwyn Holland

Although the garbage is disposed of daily by the council, the fumes emanating from bins that are left open are unhealthy for inhalation, and create a very uncomfortable situation for those vendors operating close to the market entrance.

Commenting on the issue, one vendor said she has been unable to open her stall for many days because the smell from the garbage is unbearable.

“I don’t come and open my stall on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, because of the scent we get out there; because it is not healthy for us…. It was terrible for us yesterday (Thursday) afternoon, business didn’t even complete and the garbage was all over the place. It is unfair for people in the market to not open business because of the scent,” the vendor told Mayor Carwyn Holland.

The vendors contend that the situation at the market had for years been brought to the attention of the previous council, but the only change that council implemented was removing the garbage from one end of the front of the market to the other end.

The garbage was previously dumped at a site at the northern end of the market, but a few weeks ago it was removed to accommodate the building of a toilet.

The garbage is currently placed in large bins directly at the centre of the market’s entrance.

GARBAGE IN BAGS
One vendor, Yvonne Drakes, suggested to the vendors that they place their garbage in bags collected from the garbage men, rather than having the situation continue the way it is with the bins.

“I saying we are to get bags and to put our rubbish. The people who cleaning up, all they have to do is pick up a bag. I even tell the council ‘put the bag money in we rent’, so when ya come for rent, we bag there, so we can’t say we ent get bag,” she declared.

The vendor also suggested that the garbage be collected twice daily instead of once, as a solution to the problem.

Another suggestion is to have the garbage disposed of very early in the morning hours, as the residents complained of coming to work and finding the garbage men still in the process of disposing of the garbage.

The Mayor and Town Council (M&TC) explained that the current challenge is to find a spot at the market to dump the garbage, since there is none available.

In the interim, however, Mayor Holland has instructed that the tractor be left at the market, so that the vendors can throw the garbage directly into the tray and it will be carried away immediately when filled.

“As a result of the development, we have a problem in finding the place for the garbage immediately; therefore, we will have to work with our environmental people to be able to find that spot,” said Councillor Lennox Gasper.

Among other matters that were raised was the way the electrical wires are connected. One vendor said that the wires were run very carelessly, and can be deemed a fire hazard.

One vendor selling on the municipal wharf complained about the lack of parking space, and the presence of multiple boulders that are responsible for cars being scratched when reversing.

Cosmetologist Merle Niles told the council that her concern, and that of many others, is that her plot of land at Potaro Road is being illegally occupied by strangers, although she has documentation to show that she legally owns the land.

SQUATTERS
“It has been 11 years since I’m dealing with this, and I would like to know what the new council will do about the persons that build illegal on the land…. We had our spots plotted out, we had our number for our land, and I’m in the States and I heard somebody building on my land.”

She said that, upon her return, she confirmed what was told to her, as persons had indeed erected a building on her land.

One vendor selling on the Mackenzie Wharf was emotional when telling the officials that the situation on the municipal wharf was “sickening”. The complaints referred to the deterioration of the wooden structure which resulted in one vendor falling as a result of the leaking zinc.

“When rain fall, if we don’t get up and sweep up the water, the water don’t move,” she said. She said that it is unfair to be paying $200 per day despite the slowness of business on the wharf, “and even when you may be sick, you still have to pay the cost, despite not selling for the days.”

The old council was accused of only being concerned with collecting the daily rates, rather than looking into the concerns of the vendors. Currently, there are several persons setting up stalls in front of the wharf, and this is adversely affecting the businesses on the wharf.

UNFAIR
Many customers are unaware of what services are provided on the wharf, and what is sold at the stalls in the rear. The vegetable and fruit vendor said it is unfair to persons selling on the wharf for years.

“How you gon give people permission to sell in front when we done suffering at the back there? How you know that these people will not sell the same things being sold at the back? That is unfair,” she exclaimed.

After listening to several of the complaints and concerns, the Mayor and his team promised to address them earliest. He said it is unacceptable for persons to leave Linden and journey to Georgetown to purchase the very things available in the mining town. And it is also unacceptable for persons to come into the town to compete with local vendors.

“Too many sellers stifling local businesses,” he said, adding that the power needs to be placed in the hands of the people, as democracy starts from the bottom.

Echoing similar sentiments was Parliamentarian Jermaine Figueira, who said the market vendors were the driving force for the economic community and their issues will be given priority and addressed collectively.

The M&TC will commence holding a Public Day, when councillors will engage vendors and other members of the public on issues that are of concern to them.