$60 million promised for Charles Gordon Market rehabilitation

WESTERN BUREAU:

Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie has pledged to spend some $60 million to carry out rehabilitation work on the Charles Gordon Market in Montego Bay, which should bring greater comfort to the vendors operating at the facility.

“This work is to improve the conditions in the facility, including fixing the roof, changing out the stalls, and addressing some of the chronic problems that exist in the market,” McKenzie told the media following his tour of the market, during which several vendors complained to him about the conditions there.

“I am hoping that, at the end of the day when the work is done and the market is made conducive for vending, persons will go into the market. We are not going to be prepared to spend that kind of money to fix up a market and then allow people to vend on the outside,” said McKenzie.

CONSTANT COMPLAINTS

Over several years, vendors have constantly been complaining about a variety of issues plaguing the market, including unsanitary conditions and security concerns, which has become a major turn-off for some potential shoppers.

But while acknowledging the vendors’ grouses, McKenzie suggested that they should form themselves into an association, which would allow for them to have structured discussions with the St James Municipal Corporation, to resolve their various concerns.

“I am going to urge the vendors to set themselves up in a structured way, to have an association that will meet on a regular basis with the municipality to discuss the issues surrounding their concerns. There are genuine concerns raised by the vendors, but, outside of the weaknesses that exist, the vendors have a responsibility to ensure that the market is properly utilised,” said McKenzie.

Long-standing ISSUE

Homer Davis, state minister in the Ministry of Local Government, who was on the tour with McKenzie, acknowledged that the issues with the Charles Gordon Market have long existed, even while he was serving as mayor of Montego Bay, prior to taking up his current portfolio.

“This market has been here for almost 50 years, and we have never had a comprehensive renovation since that time. These are concerns that have been there from my time as mayor of Montego Bay,” said Davis. “This visit today gives me great hope that we will see a Charles Gordon Market that can stand up to any market anywhere in the Caribbean.”

The Charles Gordon Market was one of several facilities in St James that McKenzie and other representatives from the Ministry of Local Government visited on Friday, along with the St James Infirmary and several disaster shelters in the parish.