Opposition wants urgent action to prevent market fires

The Opposition Spokesperson on Local Government, Natalie Neita Garvey, is calling for an urgent action plan to prevent fires at Jamaica's markets following Monday's blaze at the Ray Ray market in downtown Kingston.

Neita Garvey says she is extremely concerned about the frequency of fires in public food and dry goods markets.

In a statement on Thursday, Neita Garvey said the situation with fires had reached crisis proportions.

“It is the Government's responsibility to ensure the safety of vendors and shoppers in all markets and it must exercise its duty of care without delay”, she says.

The Opposition spokesperson notes that Monday's fire was the fourth at the Ray Ray market since 2019 "yet there was no evidence that the Ministry had caused a comprehensive examination of the infrastructure, electric wiring and fire prevention systems."

In addition, she says there have been three fires at Coronation Market in Kingston in two years, and one at the Highgate Market in St Mary.

Neita Garvey says Local Government Minister, Desmond McKenzie, needs to take an urgent look at the situation, which has resulted in serious damage to buildings and vendors losing millions in goods stored in the markets. 

She is pleading for urgent action to get all markets to the required fire safety levels, with approval by the Jamaica Fire Brigade. 

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