#JLP80 | Vendors happy for economic boost from JLP conference

Not partial to any political party, Ewan Riley, a food vendor from Santa Cruz, St Elizabeth, says he loves the "politics season” as it means a boost in his sales.

"Business good man, nuh mind if it [JLP annual conference] gwaan fi di year. Nuh mine if conference keep three times for the year," Riley exclaimed while laughing. 

He was one of many vendors who assembled at the National Arena in St Andrew for the Jamaica Labour Party's 80th annual conference, selling an assortment of foods such as jerk chicken, festivals, escovitch fish, and beverages.

Riley said he has been to six JLP annual conferences in his 22 years in the business. 

He also attends constituency conferences where he sells a serving of jerk chicken with festivals for $1,000.

The vendor said he has been at the National Arena since 5 o'clock this morning preparing his 500 pounds of chicken, which he expects to pay off.

"We sell good good, nuff money can carry home, all $200,000," he said.

Another vendor, Sheryl Green, arrived at the conference from her home in Portmore,St Catherine, about 1 p.m.

Her escovitch fish, which she sells from a shop in her community of Christian Pen, was an apparent hit.

"Business ah gwaan good man. Mi nuh too long come out and mi almost finish,” she said.

“This is my Christmas money every year," vendor Myrtle Lawes from Whitford Park in Kingston told The Gleaner.

The 61-year-old said she has been selling at JLP annual conferences “since Edward Seaga time”.

Over the years, she said she has experienced a lot of fluctuations in her earnings. 

For today, she is expecting to take home at least $30,000.

"It not too good today, it look like the people dem nuh have any money," she said.

After agreeing to a discount of $100 on a $300 cup of red peas soup from one of her customers, Vivienne Morrison, a 56-year-old food vendor, told The Gleaner: "Mi haffi give and take. yuh cya hold on pon one price.”

According to her, the price of food items has gone up drastically since she started selling at political conferences in the 1990s.

She said as a businesswoman she has to know what sacrifices to make.

"Price of the goods go up, people can barely afford it. Mi just haffi sell di food fi $800, and mi haffi cut back pon di price of the soup," she said.

But, she said it is a sensible compromise as she does not have to pay to sell at the venue.

The Twickenham Park resident also sells at the National Arena during sports events and says she has to pay a monthly fee of $5,000. 

"We could deh home and nah do nothing. Mi happy fi di conference so wi can make a little money. So when mi go home mi can pay my likkle pawna and pay some a di bill weh mi owe," she said.

- Sashana Small

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