‘Bring back the glory days of Bourda Market’

By Telesha Ramnarine

Nawaab Abdul vended in Bourda Market for approximately 35 years. Although he has since moved on, he still reminisces about the market’s former glory days, when the late President Burnham would pass by on his early morning horse rides.

He began vending as a child, helping his mother sell food in the market using butter bowls and other simple containers that were available at the time. As a teenager, he started his own small “hustle”, walking and selling goods.

Eventually, his business expanded. He ventured into groceries, food, and juice, and became the owner of four stalls in the market.

In an interview with News Room on Thursday, Abdul, now a taxi driver, said he decided to change his line of work due to the market’s constant deterioration over the years.

As it stands, he does not believe the market can be revived. Therefore, he is suggesting that for the benefit of both vendors and shoppers, a new market should be built from scratch.

“The only way this market can come back is to have a comprehensive plan; look at the situation, pull down the entire structure and start again from scratch. But they need proper consultation with the right people,” Abdul explained.

“You can’t build a market and have engineers and carpenters involved, but the people who will actually benefit from it aren’t part of the planning process. How can that work?” he added.

He is hoping for a completely new market with proper drainage, lighting, water, and security.

“We need to get the farm produce in one area, organise the distribution to the retailers in another section, and allow shoppers to enter from one end and exit from another, without hindering traffic.”

Abdul has a deep connection to the market, having spent over three decades of his life working there. As such, he still visits regularly to see some of the ‘old’ faces or simply to have a cup of coffee at one of the stalls.