‘B’ Field Sophia vendors relocated to facilitate road works

Vendors who sell at B Field, Sophia, were on Wednesday relocated to facilitate the ongoing road widening project in the area.

Some 11 of them, who previously operated between Dennis Street and Pain Lane (the 9th Corner) commenced the relocation process while another 60 will soon join. This is the start of a total revamp of the area.

The News Room visited the tarmac at B Field where the vendors are allocated upgraded facilities, including washrooms, paved walkways, and adequate lighting to improve security.

Even with these amenities, it is not a smooth transition.

Those who have dilapidated structures will have to rebuild on the tarmac while the structures in good condition were moved and placed onto the ground. The vendors had to select a number and a corresponding spot was allotted.

Public Works Minister Juan Edghill said the vendors were engaged on Tuesday and were in agreement with the process.

“Everybody knows exactly where they are going when they are removed,” the minister said.

He also said that the dilapidated state of some stalls slowed down the relocation process.

“The contractor was adequately engaged. It’s going a little slow because the stalls were of such a nature that if you try to lift it because they are not properly put together, everything will collapse,” the minister said.

According to Edghill, the ministry met with vendors in various locations within the community. He said this is not a new concept to facilitate road widening projects across the country. He pointed to areas such as Plaisance, East Coast Demerara, where vendors were relocated to a tarmac to facilitate road works.

“Wherever we are building roads and expanding roads and we have vending we are trying to migrate that vending operation to a safe space and at the same time give us the space to do the work,” he said.

He added that the size of the spots are 10×10 and this is adequate space for each stall to be properly relocated there. Additionally, he warned that only vendors who were actively working at the commencement of the project will be allowed to occupy a spot there.