VOX POP

Vendors in downtown Kingston were asked on Thursday, September 16, for their views regarding the return of nightly curfews and the cessation of weekday no-movement days. This is what they had to say.

Pauletta Welsh McDonald:

In terms of the lockdown, in terms of losses, as a farmer, we have perishable items which we were not able to get out during the lockdown period, so we suffered losses. Also, in terms of workers commuting to and from work, we suffered losses because we had to pick them up and drop them off because most of the time they don’t have motor vehicles available to come to your location.

It becomes time consuming. [Adding back] Monday and Tuesday is a good idea, also. I think with the limited time, you have more people bundling … because people are rushing to get in their vital needs.

Janet White:

Mi like how mi prime minister add on the next two days so we can hustle, but mi seh di time [curfew] time a shouda still 6 p.m. Mek some a dem go home early. Keep dem in offa di road. Too much people leggo. You see di funeral bout him 15, a [shouda] 10, and wedding a [shoulda] three [and] the pastor - the pastor, the bride, the groom and the witness. No bagga bagga.

Patricia Maize:

The business drop [decrease] and we have we little daily partner a throw and it drop ... . We have di children dem a di yard but di corona nuff, and thing, so anything my Government seh, a it mi a work wid. The thing kinda little sticky a way, but we have to keep going.

Demar Oakley:

It will be a lot better. We will benefit a lot by the extension [of movement days], so we can have more time to do business ... . We just try fi mek it work fi di better because yuh nuh want come do business as catch corona and can’t come do business ... . Yuh can’t just jump to conclusion and seh wa him a do bad or what a cure ... .