IN AN EFFORT to improve the viability of the Chapelton market in Clarendon, plans are being made by the Clarendon Parish Council to divest the operations of the complex to a private entity.
This was disclosed recently by the Mayor of May Pen, Milton Brown, at a press conference held at the Clarendon Parish Council chambers in the town.
"The recommendation is to lease the greater portion of the Chapelton market to enable full utilization of this facility to the benefit of the community," he said.
He explained that about 35 per cent of the space was under-utilized and that the Chapelton market now operated only three days per week - Tuesday, Friday and Saturday.
READY TO ACCEPT BIDS
The Mayor said the council was now ready to accept bids from interested parties.
He pointed out that this plan of action was part of an overall initiative by the council's market committee to improve the status of all markets in the parish.
Included in this initiative is the renovation of the May Pen market at a cost of about $4.5 million, for which funding is now being sought.
The Mayor said the rehabilitation would include improvement to drainage and sanitation, the removal of redundant concrete stalls, repairs to plumbing and lighting fixtures, the roof, and the canteen area.
The market rehabilitation programme is expected to be completed by the end of calendar year 2004.
