G’town Public Hospital asks court to order removal of street vendors

Last Updated on Tuesday, 17 March 2026, 21:35 by Writer

The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) on Tuesday asked the High Court to issue an order compelling the Town Clerk to remove street vendors from outside the country’s top health care facility.

In a writ filed through Attorney-at-Law Sase Gunraj, the hospital is seeking an order for the city administration to remove food, beverage and other vendors and hucksters who have set up mobile trucks, carts, stalls, and other encumbrances around the hospital on New Market, Middle, East, Lamaha and Thomas streets.

GPHC’s Chief Executive Officer, Robbie Rambarran, in an affidavit in support of the application for the order, states, among other things, that vending is affecting the free flow of vehicles into the hospital.

He also states that the vendors leave the surroundings dirty.

“The trucks, carts, stalls and other encumbrances on the pavement have impeded ingress to and egress from the Applicant’s facilities, both by medical and professional staff and most importantly, patients seeking medical services and emergency vehicles. The vendors leave behind their waste and debris strewn across the pavement and at the sides of the aforementioned streets,” he states.

Mr Rambarran says several attempts dating back to April 2024 to have the Mayor and City Council remove the vendors and their properties “have proven futile.”

He said on April 30, 2024 a letter was dispatched to City Hall requesting their removal within seven days but a letter was received on May 2, 2024 indicating an intention to resolve the issue amicably but nothing was done.

Similar letters, he said, were also sent on May 7, 2024 and January 5, 2026. “The Respondent (Town Clerk) has failed and/or neglected to uphold this statutory responsibility in allowing this encumbrance to persist for as long as it did,” the GPHC CEO states in the court documents.

The order sought by the GPHC is for the Town Clerk to legally perform his statutory duty as prescribed under the Municipal and District Councils Act, Cap 28:01 Laws of Guyana, and its By-Laws.

He also says that the GPHC does not have any particulars of the vendors that are necessary to institute proceedings against them personally and/or enforce any judgement that the GPHC may receive.

“The order sought by the Applicant would ensure that public order is upheld in the City of Georgetown, particularly around one of the country’s largest health facilities, and would be beneficial not only to the Applicant, its staff and patients seeking medical services,” the GPHC CEO added.