Date Of Article: 5/23/2002
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Press Trust stops flea markets work
By: Joseph Langa
Press Trust, financier of flea market projects in the country’s three cities and the municipality of Zomba, has suspended construction of three remaining flea markets in Lilongwe, Mzuzu and Limbe until the other markets are occupied. Press Trust pledged to build six flea markets throughout the country, one each in Zomba and Mzuzu and two each in Blantyre and Lilongwe at an estimated cost of over K181 million. However, Press Trust has suspended construction of the remaining three markets until completed ones —Blantyre City and Zomba flea markets — are occupied. Press Trust executive secretary Clement Chilingulo confirmed the development, saying the Trust is not happy with the delay at Lilongwe market, the resistance of Blantyre city vendors to occupy their market, and the rising costs of construction materials. Chilingulo said Press Trust is not happy with the progress on Tsoka market in Lilongwe either, saying it has delayed by almost 10 months and is likely to overshoot from its estimated cost of K30 million to K35 million because the contractor, Gola Civil Engineering, failed to meet contract obligations. “The contractor has really let us down. That’s why we have terminated the contract. We have been forced to hire another contractor who said would finish the work in eight weeks. “This means that the market will be ready somewhere in August when it was supposed to be ready by September last year. Construction of Chilambula Road market in Old Town, Lilongwe will only start when this one is occupied,” he said. Chilingulo said construction of the Limbe market in Blantyre has also been suspended until Blantyre City market is occupied after benches have been erected there with the K4 million they have received from President Bakili Muluzi. Vendors in Blantyre refused to occupy the new market because it had no benches. “We want things to be resolved in Blantyre market before we can move to Limbe. The facility in Blantyre must first of all be put to use before we can tender for the other market,” he said. But Chilingulo said construction of Mzuzu market will start as soon as the city authorities identify a new site. “Construction of the market would have started long time ago but the city assembly stopped our contractor from continuing with the work because they said the site identified belonged to somebody. Chilingulo, however, expressed satisfaction with the progress of the Zomba market which, he said, is likely to be completed by June.
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