Market sales dead, funeral homes spring to life

As funeral homes sprang to life yesterday, many low-income earners in downtown Kingston bemoaned the suddenness of the declaration of a series of lockdowns announced by the Government on Thursday as it seeks to rein in rising COVID-19 infection rates.

Many low-income earners are known to sustain themselves by living in a hand-to-mouth situation, making it difficult to readily source funds to stock up on food items and other necessities.

With the first three in a series of no movements set to begin at 8 p.m. on Saturday and run until 5 a.m. next Wednesday, some vendors lamented the small window within which they have to sell their perishable produce.

“It a go really mash up business,” Myro Douse told The Gleaner, pointing out that her ground provisions could go bad before Wednesday.

“Dem ya nah go sell off fi Saturday alone,” she said worriedly as she pondered the losses she would have to absorb.

“Majority of the people dem not coming out,” chimed in another, explaining that she has only sold approximately 25 per cent of her goods on display yesterday evening.

She told The Gleaner that a lot of citizens are facing hard times with the rising cost of living hitting her trade.

Vendors who would normally depend on Monday and Tuesday to sell goods that were not sold on the weekend are also harbouring fears, she said, adding that some sellers would normally come into the town from rural areas to catch the Monday sale day.

“Me stressed. Me neva plan fi dis, but me haffi mek the money stretch,” said Paulette Lawrence, who was seen in a wholesale.

Lawrence, who previously made a living by selling at school gates, has been relying on her son heavily since the halt to face-to-face classes last year March disrupted her hustle at school gates. She said that the lockdown periods will be difficult for both her and her son.

The second lockdown period will run from the evening of Saturday, August 29 to 5 a.m. on Wednesday, September 1.

The third no-movement day is Sunday, September 5.

The Government has budgeted more than $189 million to go to constituencies to assist with care packages during the seven-day lockdown starting next week, said Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke.

“This is for care packages in response to the no-movement [curfews],” he said. “People may be affected income-wise and so on. This is to alleviate that.”

The care packages will include food and toiletries.

He added that the funds would be disbursed to the Office of the Prime Minister and that this advance will be recovered in the September warrant now being prepared.

Clarke indicated that members of parliament will receive the funds next week.

The finance minister noted that the Government remains cognisant of the pressures brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, including the impact on livelihoods as well as the rising prices of goods and services.

For the first quarter of the fiscal year, between April and June 2021, tax revenues are ahead of budget by some $12 billion, stated Clarke, reflecting increased economic activity from a base year affected by an economic fallout.

Effective August 25 and lasting until September 7, funerals have been banned and burials will be restricted to 30 minutes between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. from Mondays through Fridays.

Ahead of Saturday’s final available opportunity to lay their loved ones to rest before next Wednesday, funeral homes having a “very hectic” day yesterday, as one funeral director on Victoria Avenue off Windward Road in Kingston told The Gleaner.

“This during the week thing, everybody is just rushing ... . Right now, people want funerals to be carried out because they don’t want another curfew (no-movement day) to drop and them still have the body here,” said the director, who gave his name only as Wayne.

He explained that this has piled on the workload for many workers, from those who make funeral wreaths to the drivers and morticians.

Oraine Dauswell, a funeral director on East Street in Kingston, said that his customers were also having a hard time with restrictions, including a 15-person limit for persons at burials.

“Many family members would want to attend but cannot,” he said, adding that the emotional toll has been great.

Andre Simpson, who had the opportunity to attend his aunt’s funeral before the latest ban, noted that it has been difficult for many who cannot physically attend their loved ones’ send-off services, especially when they cannot facilitate online streaming.

asha.wilks@gleanerjm.com