Linstead vendors eye streets for Christmas
Published:Monday | December 12, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Karen Sudu, Gleaner Writer
LINSTEAD, St Catherine:
SOME VENDORS who ply their wares in the Linstead Market in St Catherine say they will have to peddle on the street if they are to cash in on the Christmas sales.
"Mi pay mi market fee. True mi carry mi load go put under one stall in there, mo pay mi $200 fi market fee, and den me tie out mi goods and come pan di road come sell," a female in her late 40s, who sells seasoning, told The Gleaner.
One of her colleagues, in the business for more than 10 years, lamented what he said is the deplorable state of the market.
"The market want to clean up and in deh want paint up and so. When rain fall, downstairs wet 'cause no zinc nuh deh pan di top," he bemoaned.
Jean, who sells clothing and toiletries, agreed, claiming that many of her customers refuse to go into the market; hence, for her, selling on the street is more viable.
"Some of the customer dem say dem nah come inna de market 'cause in deh dirty. It nah wash out like one time. Me couldn't tell when one fire truck come wash it out. So me affi hussle out pan the road," she decried, as she sorted her goods exhibited on a piece of tarpaulin on Fletcher's Avenue.
Hoping for reprieve
Besides, several vendors are in unison, as they believe vendors should be given a reprieve during the festive season.
But, Andrew Wheatley, chairman of the St Catherine Parish Council, said this will only be allowed based on the number of registered sellers.
"The parish council will be working closely with the police in streamlining things around this time of the year. Based on the number of registered vendors, we will determine whether we will allow persons to use particular streets or sections of the streets and on designated days," said Wheatley.
However, he said, strategies will be implemented to deal with non-traditional vendors.
"We have been having dialogue with the police to see how we will manage traffic. Again, if we are going to allow persons to sell on the streets, that will impact traffic flow and also pedestrians movement. These are some of the issues we have, and over the years been able to cope," he assured.