Court Orders City Hall to Remove Hospital Vendors After Months of Inaction

Staff— Writer

𝙏𝙝𝙚 592 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣

Georgetown, Guyana – May 13, 2026
The High Court has ordered the immediate removal of vendors operating outside the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), with a compliance deadline set for May 31, 2026.
The ruling was handed down on Wednesday by Justice Deborah Kumar-Chetty, following the failure of Town Clerk Candace Nelson to file an affidavit in defence in response to legal proceedings initiated by GPHC. Despite the absence of a filed defence, attorneys representing both the hospital and the Town Clerk presented oral arguments before the court.

The application, filed by GPHC on March 17, 2026, sought judicial intervention to remove vendors’ stalls, mobile units, and other obstructions from areas surrounding the hospital.
Under the court’s order, the Town Clerk, along with her agents and servants, is required to remove or cause the removal of all vendors and associated structures. This includes food and beverage vendors, hucksters, mobile trucks, carts, and any encumbrances such as vehicles, push-carts, drays, barrels, boxes, dust bins, pallets, and other items placed or stored on public parapets and pavements.

The affected areas include:
• Lamaha Street between Thomas Street and East Street
• East Street between Lamaha Street and New Market Street
• New Market Street between Thomas Street and East Street
• Middle Street between Thomas Street and East Street

In an affidavit submitted to the court, GPHC Chief Executive Officer Robbie Rambarran outlined the hospital’s concerns. He stated that the presence of vendors and their structures has significantly impeded access to the hospital, affecting both staff and patients, including emergency vehicles.

Rambarran further noted that the situation has led to unsanitary conditions, with vendors leaving waste and debris along the pavements and surrounding streets. He emphasized that repeated efforts since April 2024 to have the Mayor and City Council address the issue had yielded no meaningful results.

The court’s order now compels the City Council to take definitive action to clear the hospital’s perimeter and restore safe and unobstructed access to the facility.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 592 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣-𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝 , 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮, 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙄𝙣 𝙂𝙪𝙮𝙖𝙣𝙖 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨.— ✦—