Relocation plans were on Mayor’s desk for a year – De Armas on displaced vendors

PPP/C City Councillor Alfonso De Armas has said a relocation plan was recommended for quite some time for the vendors operating in the Bourda Market area, Georgetown.

Some 14 vendors had to vacate the area near Yhip’s Bakery at the corner of Robb and Alexander Streets after their stalls were dismantled following a High Court Order which prohibits vending at the location.

Speaking with the News Room on Monday, De Armas disclosed that the Georgetown Mayor and City Council were made aware of the situation but did not act swiftly.

He said the City Council’s actions on Sunday were to avoid any further issues that could stem from vendors remaining there. He said the current displacement could have been avoided as recommendations to relocate the vendors were put forward since February 2025.

In fact, the City Councillor explained that Mayor and City Council discussed the situation as early as October 2024 and sought an agreement to ensure that the vendors and the bakery could co-exist while a final solution was considered.

“We found it prudent to find an alternative location for the vendors to move to. We suggested Merriman’s Mall but Merriman’s Mall needed to be retrofitted to accommodate the number of vendors,” De Armas said.

To safeguard the livelihood of the vendors, the Mayor, Alfred Mentore was presented with the cost and works needed to prepare the mall for the vendors. This was in February 2025 but there has been no action since.

“The Mayor was presented with a design and costs to execute these works… This has been on his desk almost an entire year with no movement done towards retrofitting Merriman’s Mall or finding an alternative location for the vendors,” he said.

He added that the lack of urgency is concerning and regrettable. De Armas also said the Mayor seems to be trying to politicise the issue.

“The Mayor hasn’t moved with sort of alacrity, in fact he is trying to politicise the issue,” the City Councillor said.

The Mayor and City Council will soon meet to address this issue and the relocation of vendors within the city.