Burnt-out Old Shoes Market vendors thankful for financial relief

WESTERN BUREAU:

While the financial assistance is way below the value of what they lost in the fire, vendors at the Old Shoes Market in Montego Bay, St James, say they are grateful for the assistance afforded them by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS).

The MLSS made the disbursements on Monday, when Prime Minister Andrew Holness and his team made a call on the affected business people during a tour of the infrastructure across St James.

A total of 54 stalls were destroyed in the fire and more than 80 people have been impacted.

However, Pearnel Charles Jr, the labour and social security minister, said they have received only 43 applications thus far, and that he is expecting to get others.

“Of the 43 applications, we have 11 people that will receive a total of $60,000 each, and we expect that each person will receive that amount or more, based on the damage to their stalls,” the minister said. “This is our way from the ministry to give them a restart.”

Firefighters have not yet determined the specific cause of the fire that caused significant damage to several shops at the Old Shoes arcade.

The St James Fire Brigade reported that the fire, which is believed to have started about 2:30 a.m. on October 15 last year, quickly raced through the facility, which included clothing and variety stores.

The fire was brought under control by firefighters from the parish, and others from the neighbouring parish of Trelawny.

Vendors grateful

Salome Drummond, a vendor who has been selling a variety of goods and services at the facility based on St James Street, said she was not expecting anything and that she would be using the money received to help replenish her stock.

“I appreciate what they (the Government) have done for me, although this cannot do as much [in recovering] what I have lost. Thank God, because we never expected anything,” Drummond said after collecting her cheque.

“We are grateful for what you people have done for us, and in the end, we will do what can be done with this,” she told Charles, who was accompanied by Member of Parliament for St James Central Heroy Clarke and Deputy Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Richard Vernon.

Sarika Calvert, who up to the time of the fire was selling a variety of clothing items, including children’s clothing and shoes, expressed appreciation.

“This cannot cover the loss incurred from the fire, but I didn’t give them anything to put down, so I am grateful for what they have done for me, and I thank them very much,” she told reporters.

Vernon told the vendors that funding is now being sought for the plan they approved to redesign and restore the Old Shoes Market.

“We presented to you a design for this area that will facilitate up to about 200 vendors. On our streets, we have approximately 300 vendors operating in the space. We are now at the place where we have to finalise funding, that is where we are now,” Vernon said.

Holness , in the meantime, urged vendors who have not yet submitted a claim to do so urgently, as the period within which that can be done is coming to a close soon.

“When I last checked 40 (43) of the vendors had submitted their reports to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. I have asked them to continue to accept reports. So if there are vendors who have not yet sent their reports, I urge you to do it now,” said Holness.

He said that the Government cannot afford to just write cheques and send them out without ensuring that a satisfactory investigation has been done to verify claims.

“The right way to do it is that if somebody is to get a benefit, if somebody says they lose goods, then we have to go and check it. Everybody who is going to get benefits, which we have committed to assist everyone who has had damage, come with your relevant documentation, and we will be able to assist, or we will be able to investigate your circumstances to see if you are genuinely in need,” Holness explained.

albert.ferguson@gleanerjm.com