Millions lost due to Spanish Town flare-up, says St Catherine chamber president

President of the St Catherine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Dennis Robotham says businesses have lost millions due to the flare-up of violence in Spanish Town.

"There is a general fallout in business and the members are depending on the security forces to address the situation urgently," said Robotham.

"The loss of commerce in the business district is significant and will adversely affect operators. The views of the members are that the curfew being imposed yesterday would have prevented the gridlock on business," he stated.

A curfew was imposed in the communities of Ellerslie Pen and Tawes Meadows in Spanish Town yesterday following an earlier intense stand-off between residents and the security forces during an operation to capture wanted men.

Several police vehicles were damaged in the chaos.

The tension in the town grew following the police fatal shooting of reputed One Order gang strongman Othneil ‘Thickman’ Lobban during an alleged confrontation in St Andrew.

Today, life in the town came to a halt with courts, financial institutions, schools, and several entities being shut.

Robotham says the business community is hopeful that the curfew will bring the desired outcomes.

So too residents who are calling for normalcy.

-Rasbert Turner

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