Port Maria fish vendors cry foul

PORT MARIA, St Mary:

FISH VENDORS at the Port Maria Market are now plying their trade along the roadway in that town after being forced on to the streets as a result of the deplorable state of the facility.

The vendors, who are spread across sections of the town, are insisting that the St Mary Parish Council appoint a janitor so as to ensure that sections of the market - which are now littered with insect droppings, roaches, and rats - can be cleaned on a regular basis.

"The fish market is filthy. For more than four weeks now the fish market has not been cleaned, and, therefore, we are forced to sell on the street," said Lorna Baggo, a fish vendor. "Goats and other domestic animals have also littered the fish market, and the urine stench is almost unbearable. At times, we buy a little bleach to clean the facility, but conditions are so bad that we are no longer able to buy bleach to clean that section," she added.

The fish vendors disclosed that only three persons are currently selling at the market on Fridays and Saturdays as the deplorable state of the facility has turned off many persons. She also pointed out that others have taken to the streets - where they enjoy good sales - to sell their fish.

Attract customers

She added: "The council needs to repair the facility and carry out beautification work. A clean facility will attract customers, and this will allow all the fish vendors to operate at the same facility, putting everyone on a level playing field. The market fee is $300, but as it is now, we (the three fish vendors) can only afford $200 as sales are bad."

And other vendors, who are affected as a result of the poor conditions at the Port Maria Market are appealing to the parish council to provide the facility with a much-needed facelift as the walls are discoloured and are in dire need of painting.

Mayor of Port Maria Richard Creary explained that the market is earmarked to undergo major repairs shortly that will allow vendors to sell their goods in a better, cleaner, and friendlier environment.

"We are aware of the challenges. Repairs were done to its roofing recently, so there are no problems with a leaky roof," said the mayor. "Yes, it is an old building, and we have every intention of addressing the situation in short order. It is hard to have a perfect market."

Creary disclosed that the St Mary Parish Council did some work earlier on all five major markets in the parish including Oracabessa, Annotto Bay, Gayle, and Highgate. The Jamaica Social Investment Fund, he added, would be rebuilding five markets, including Port Maria, at a cost of approximately $34 million.

- rural@gleanerjm.com