Stakeholders complain about fishmongering mess in Lucea

Claudia Gardner, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Stakeholders in the town of Lucea are complaining about what they say is resulting in the underutilisation of the Lucea Fish Market because of wayward vendors who continue to scale and gut fish at the entrance to the Cleveland Stanhope Market's parking lot.

"When you go around the Willie DeLisser Boulevard, you have whole heap a fish vendors at the roadside, yet parish council dem have a fish market. The people are not using the fish market. They line out right in front of the (Cleveland Stanhope) market same way," vice-chairman of the Hanover Parish Development Committee, Leonard Sharpe, told Western Focus.

Sharpe said the local authorities should enforce the law as the situation, as in the past, was now posing a health hazard and the actions of the errant fishmongers were preventing the free movement of pedestrians.

"Since the people decide not to use the fish market, the municipal police need to enforce the law. Instead of going out each day with ticket books like police to target the taximen who park to get a little $100, they should go out with the ISCF (Island Special Constabulary Force) and prosecute the people who are urinating at the roadside and who are throwing garbage on the road and the fish vendors who are selling in front of the market, even though there is a place provided for them," he said.

"You walking on the sidewalk and man stand up deh wid him bucket of fish, and him wouldn't even move to allow you to walk. Its a sidewalk; it was built for people to walk on. A fish market is provided by the Hanover Parish Council, yet, right in front of the parish council building and the police post, you have di man dem wid di heap a bucket of fish," Sharpe added.

Unsanitary conditions

Another community member, farmer Donald Campbell, agrees with Sharpe. He said the illicit fishmongering situation added to the pollution and the unsanitary conditions in the town.

"I don't know what we are doing. In front of the market, some guys start scale fish deh so again, especially on a Sunday when the municipal police, or whosoever is supposed to keep them away from the area, not there. So they just roam right in front of the market. And when you go there, the flies move from the garbage heap and go across the road and pitch on the fish," Campbell said.

In June last year, the Hanover Parish Council reopened the Lucea Fish Market after refurbishing it at a cost of approximately $1 million. The facility, which is located at the back of the Cleveland Stanhope Market, is able to accommodate 15 fish vendors.

Mayor of Lucea, Shernet Haughton, said she shared a sense of pride and happiness, as at the time, the facility was well-needed and it was a step in the right direction. She said it was aimed at providing a more comfortable and modern environment for vendors and shoppers and at easing congestion on the streets, particularly in the vicinity of the Lucea Market.