Freelance Correspondent
Chaguanas Mayor Faaiq Mohammed has defended the introduction of a $5 fee to use the washrooms at Chaguanas Market, saying the charges are necessary to maintain the facilities and prevent them from falling into disrepair.
Speaking with Guardian Media on Friday, Mohammed said the Chaguanas Borough Corporation had spent approximately $500,000 to repair and restore the market’s toilet facilities about two years ago, but was repeatedly forced to carry out further repairs because of misuse.
“Unfortunately, despite this substantial investment, the corporation was repeatedly required to undertake repairs and address instances of misuse, including the removal of T-shirts and other foreign objects from toilet bowls,” he said.
Mohammed said the facilities eventually deteriorated to an unacceptable state, highlighting the challenges of maintaining them without a reliable arrangement for their continued upkeep.
He noted that users had previously been charged $1 or $2 to access the washrooms, but the council discontinued the fees when the facilities deteriorated, as it considered it unfair to charge people to use poorly maintained amenities.
However, following restoration works, the corporation pursued a public-private partnership arrangement intended to ensure the washrooms remained clean, functional and properly maintained.
Under the current arrangement, users pay $5 per visit, while vendors can purchase a day pass for $10.
Mohammed said the fees helped cover the costs of cleaning, maintenance and sanitary supplies, adding that the charges were not arbitrary but were intended to protect the corporation’s investment.
“The costs of labour, cleaning, maintenance and sanitary supplies have changed over time,” he said, noting that the previous charges could not reasonably be used as the sole basis for assessing the current fees.
While acknowledging the concerns of vendors about additional expenses, Mohammed said the corporation had to balance their needs with its responsibility to manage public resources prudently.
He also pointed to the financial challenges facing the corporation, noting that vendors continued to pay $5 in daily stall rent, an amount that had remained unchanged despite rising operating costs.
At the same time, vendors collectively owed the corporation more than $1 million in outstanding payments, he said.
“These circumstances demonstrate the financial pressures under which the Corporation must operate,” Mohammed said.
