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March 17, 2026
The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has filed legal proceedings against the Town Clerk of the City of Georgetown, seeking urgent court intervention to remove vendors and other obstructions from streets surrounding the country’s public health facility.
The matter, filed in the High Court on March 17, 2026, forms part of a broader legal challenge in which the hospital is asking the court to compel the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) to enforce its municipal by-laws.
In its Fixed Date Application, GPHC is seeking an order of mandamus, arguing that the City Council has failed in its statutory duty to keep public roadways clear, resulting in what it describes as a “severe encumbrance” caused by both stationary and itinerant vendors.
According to the hospital’s filings, the presence of mobile food trucks, carts, and makeshift stalls along the perimeter of the facility is significantly affecting its daily operations, particularly in critical areas such as emergency response.
The hospital contends that these obstructions are impeding the free movement of ambulances, medical personnel, and patients entering and exiting the compound. Concerns have also been raised about sanitation, with vendors allegedly leaving behind waste and debris on surrounding streets and pavements.
The issue is said to affect all four roads bordering the hospital — Lamaha, East, New Market, and Middle Streets — effectively creating a ring of congestion around the institution.
Court documents indicate that the GPHC has been attempting to resolve the matter with the municipality for several years, but those efforts have yielded little success.
Among the correspondences cited are: an April 30, 2024, letter requesting the removal of vendors within seven days; a May 2, 2024, response from the Town Clerk indicating a willingness to address the matter amicably, which the hospital claims was not followed by concrete action; and a final “urgent action” notice dated January 5, 2026, giving the council three days to act before legal proceedings were initiated.
The hospital argues that these repeated but “futile” engagements left it with no choice but to approach the court.
GPHC’s legal team, led by attorneys Sase R. Gunraj and Jayaram A. Sanasie, contends that under the Municipal and District Councils Act and the City’s by-laws, the council has a clear, non-discretionary obligation to keep public spaces free from obstruction.
The hospital further stated that it was unable to take direct legal action against individual vendors due to the lack of personal identification details, prompting the decision to pursue action against the Town Clerk as the responsible authority.
In an affidavit supporting the application, Chief Executive Officer Robbie Rambarran emphasised that the issue extends beyond the hospital’s internal operations.
The removal of the encumbrances, he argued, is necessary not only to safeguard patient care and staff efficiency but also to restore order in the capital city.
The Town Clerk has been served and is expected to file an Affidavit in Defence. A hearing was initially set for March 17, 2026, the same day the matter was filed, with further developments anticipated as the case proceeds through the High Court.
