Edghill issues stern one-hour warning over vehicles, garbage blocking community tarmac

Minister of Public Works Bishop Juan Edghill on Friday moved to publicly expose what he described as “selfish” and unlawful behaviour by individuals and businesses, warning that vehicles, containers and debris obstructing a community tarmac at Sandy Babb and Middleton Streets would be removed by the state if not cleared within an hour.

Speaking during a live video at the site, Edghill said the concrete tarmac was constructed by the Ministry of Public Works to give residents a safe recreational space for children, families and the wider community. Instead, he said, it has been turned into an informal storage and repair area.

“A nice concrete tarmac was built to allow for the people of the community to have a space where they could come out and interact… and residents could just have a space to improve health and wellness and well-being,” Edghill said.

Pointing to parked trucks, cars, containers and piles of garbage, the minister called out several vehicle numbers and business names, giving owners one hour to remove them. “You have an hour to come and move your vehicles, if not we’ll be taking it away,” he warned, adding that removed items would be taken to a derelict site.

Edghill said repeated clean-ups have failed because of continued disregard for the law. “We have cleared this area before… and I can show you from the live what is going on here now,” he said.

Describing the scene, he added, “Look, garbage, where children should be playing,” and accused some operators of treating the space “like if it’s a repair shop.”

The minister said the situation illustrates what ordinary Guyanese are forced to endure. “Let people see what Guyanese have to go through because of some selfish individuals who want to break the law,” he stated.

Edghill stressed that enforcement would follow if compliance does not. “Unless people start feeling the consequences, this will see more lawlessness,” he said, adding, “The lawlessness has been going on long enough. It has to stop.”