Shaw Park market facility gets electricity

The temporary market site at Shaw Park now has electricity.

Corporate Communications Manager at the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC), Annabelle Brasnell, told Newsday Tobago on Monday that T&TEC connected the power supply to the facility at 2:30pm last Friday.

“T&TEC was able to fulfil its part last Friday and we were able to complete the connection, so the facility now has the necessary power,” said Brasnell.

Last Tuesday, Food Production Secretary Hayden Spencer told Newsday Tobago in a telephone interview that a promised April 15-17 relocation of vendors from the Wilson Road, Scarborough market facility was being delayed yet again because T&TEC had given the Division a four to six weeks’ timeline to erect a pole with transformer, in order to provide an electricity supply to the Shaw Park site.

“We cannot go there without electricity, electricity is the main thing. When T&TEC hooks us up, then you know the testing of all the electrical works and so on will have to be done. T&TEC is saying that this kind of job, to install a pole with a transformer, normally takes between four to six weeks but we are still trying to see if we can get it done before. I don’t know how possible that is,” he said.

He said that he has met with the vendors to apprise them of the setback aware and promised that a new date for the opening of the temporary facility would be issued shortly.

Attempts to contact Spencer for comment on Monday were unsuccessful as all calls to his mobile went unanswered. The latest delay of the opening of the market follows from a previous completion date of March 9, with Spencer saying on February 27 that construction work would be completed by the Division by then.

He said then that the temporary market facility was outfitted with all the necessary amenities to ensure vendors get maximum comfort, including toilet facilities, parking and a fenced compound with security personnel.

“The metal shed was constructed to accommodate 250 tables which comfortably houses existing vendors and will leave room to accommodate additional vendors who may want to venture into the facility.

“The shed will house all the fruits, vegetables, provision and clothes vendors. The containers on site will accommodate fish, meat, seamstresses, cobblers and food vendors. What is left to be done; to outfit the containers, sanitise the electrical work and the AC installation, everything is already on site,” he said.

He also said the average cost of the construction for the temporary facility was set at $4. million.

Upon relocation of the vendors from the current Scarborough market site on Wilson Road, restoration works are to be undertaken, which is expected to take between 12 to 18 months.