Digicel takes 'Curry' uptown

Vendors did not have enough hands to sell as New Kingston's corporate clients and customers converged on Digicel's Go-Green Farmers' Market yesterday at the company's head office.

Digicel brought vendors from Coronation Market, downtown Kingston, to the heart of New Kingston, and from the market opened at 10 a.m. there was a steady flow of traffic, which peaked by midday.

The supply of fruits, vegetables and ground provisions soon started to run low as the word spread.

"We don't get these prices at Curry," declared Digicel staff member Wade Howell, who hoped to spend all of the $2,000 shopping voucher he had won in the company's staff competition.

"Me buys things for me and all me brethren and the $2,000 still not finish."

"I'm quite elated about it. We are corporate people and sometimes we don't have the time to go to the market. We came out from this morning and just shopped, getting all we needed. The prices were quite good, the staff warm and a really nice atmosphere," said Marie Matthews from Tourism Product Development Company.

"They can do this every two weeks," said Otolia Clarke, who was passing through the city on business.

all smiles

Digicel workers Trudy-Ann Brown and Shani Oliphan were all smiles struggling with two well-stocked bags.

"It was fun, we're really enjoying this," they beamed.

The vendors were just as happy with how things were going.

"I sold more today than I would have at the market," said vendor Sheverette Morgan. "This really is a good idea."

Fellow vendor Elvis Libon also said sales were going very well.

Donovan Betancourt, Digicel's head of facilities and site operations, said the initiative was in celebration of Earth Day, which was celebrated worldwide last Friday, April 22.

"It is also our way of creating awareness of the Earth and the environment, and supporting the local economy," he said.

Betancourt, who is also the company's Go-Green champion, added that Digicel was aiming to be the leader in the Go-Green initiative. "In due time, we will be doing various Go-Green projects, which may not necessarily be a farmers' market again," he said.

anastasia.cunningham@gleanerjm.com