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By: Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News| As the rainy season drenches Guyana’s coastal plains, vendors at the Industry/Plaisance Market are once again facing devastation after floodwaters inundated the market, destroying hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of goods just weeks before the busy Christmas season. Many vendors claim that the flooding has been exacerbated by ongoing culvert construction, which they argue has blocked the natural flow of water from the market area. “Nobody used to come and do nothing about this market. Nobody say nothing. Nobody telling you nothing about it,” one frustrated vendor told Nightly News, pointing to submerged stalls and spoiled produce. Christmas Dreams Drowned With the festive shopping period fast approaching, vendors lamented that the flooding has ruined their Christmas stock, leaving them counting heavy losses. “Christmas season coming, we done start stock up on Christmas things — everything done,” another vendor explained, showing waterlogged snacks, biscuits, and other goods. Some traders reported that entire boxes of products had to be discarded, while others struggled to save what little remained by using pumps to drain the stagnant water. Calls for Accountability Kavita Dat, owner of Dat’s Pharmacy and Drugstore, said the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) has been unresponsive despite repeated complaints from affected vendors. “Who is going to compensate our vendors for the loss of their property and goods? I have two stores and was lucky not to be affected because I built up my property — but not everyone could afford that,” Dat said. She added that when vendors approached the market clerk, they were met with “unscrupulous” behavior, forcing them to take matters into their own hands. “We as vendors who are paying rent have to do the cleanup ourselves. Is that fair? Are they going to get the fire service to come here and wash down the market?” she questioned. Council Responds An official from the Industry/Plaisance NDC confirmed that the culvert is under construction, explaining that it was temporarily clogged during the works. He noted, however, that it has since been unblocked to allow water to recede. Still, many vendors remain dissatisfied, saying the recurring floods have crippled their livelihoods and that long-term drainage solutions are urgently needed. “A lot of things damage,” one vendor said. “We need help before this happens again.” The Plaisance Market, long considered a vibrant community hub, now stands as another reminder of infrastructure shortfalls that continue to plague small business owners during the most critical economic period of the year.
