The recent collapse of a portion of the Stabroek Market Wharf is reflective of the City Council’s “failure”, according to Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo.
Responding to questions at his weekly press conference on Thursday, he noted that the Council, which has for years been dominated by PNC/APNU leaders, failed to fix the dilapidated structure for years.
Referring specifically to current Mayor Alfred Mentore, Jagdeo expressed, “how much time did he spend on better service for the people in the market or trying to rehabilitate infrastructure?… he knew about the state of the infrastructure there.
“Further for this year, they have not presented a budget up to now, so what are his projects to rehabilitate the markets or fix anything in the city?” Jagdeo further questioned.
“They collect rates and taxes from the same vendors…but they’re not managing their assets in favour of people of the city,” he added.
A section of the wharf which was rapidly deteriorating over the years collapsed on Wednesday, leaving five injured and some businesses destroyed. The section of the facility used by commuters travelling by boat from Georgetown to Vreed-en-hoop on the West Bank of the Demerara was also affected.
The Vice President promised that those affected will benefit from government’s support.
Following a visit to the location, President Dr. Irfaan Ali disclosed that the cabinet has initiated discussions to determine the management and maintenance of key infrastructural assets within the city.
Asked about the form in which this assistance will be provided, Jagdeo on Thursday said the central Government cannot provide necessary support through the Council due to lack of transparency.
“We don’t begrudge that support but we cannot intermediate it through the Council that is unaccountable, because we have had experiences where they have diverted funds and until now, audited statements have not been submitted for several years,” he said.
In recent years, the Central Government has taken over major projects in the city including the building and repairing of main roadways, rehabilitation of recreational parks, beautification projects, and construction of pavements among others.
On Thursday, works on clearing the rubble from the collapsed structure of the Stabroek Market Wharf continued. Much of the work is being done manually, as heavy machinery cannot be supported on the deplorable structure.
Once the debris is cleared, it will allow for a thorough assessment of the extent of the damages.
