Sat | Nov 30, 2024

People make most of lacklustre New Year’s Eve

Published:Monday | January 3, 2022 | 12:08 AMAndre Williams/Gleaner Writer
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Cars line outside Di Bar on Haining Road in Kingston on New Year’s Eve.
Ian Allen
Cars line outside Di Bar on Haining Road in Kingston on New Year’s Eve.
Despite the cancellation of the fireworks, there was not enough parking for persons who were at the Kingston waterfront on New Year’s Eve.
Ian Allen
Despite the cancellation of the fireworks, there was not enough parking for persons who were at the Kingston waterfront on New Year’s Eve.
The police maintaining a presence at the Kingston waterfront on New Year’s Eve.
Ian Allen
The police maintaining a presence at the Kingston waterfront on New Year’s Eve.
The usually crowded Half-Way Tree wears a deserted look in the wee hours of January 1.
Ian Allen
The usually crowded Half-Way Tree wears a deserted look in the wee hours of January 1.
People stand outside Janga’s Soundbar and Grill in New Kingston on New Year’s Eve.
Ian Allen
People stand outside Janga’s Soundbar and Grill in New Kingston on New Year’s Eve.
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The Corporate Area was abuzz with New Year’s Eve activities in some sections as partygoers were out for the midnight hour festivities, while the halls of some churches were filled with worshippers.

Haining and Belmont roads had cars parked along the roadway as patrons rushed to join the celebrations at either Di Bar or Janga’s Soundbar and Grill, which had events in full swing.

Cross Roads, Half-Way Tree, downtown Kingston and Constant Spring Road had little to no activities. Even on the streets and known red-lights areas like Ripon Road, ladies of the night were out parading for business, seemingly seeking to accumulate as much before the 1 a.m. curfew.

Under normal circumstances, before the advent of coronavirus, these commercial districts would have been lucrative for business activities.

By 11:30 p.m., Kingston waterfront, which would normally be a showcase for fireworks at midnight, was filled with people and vehicles. The fireworks spectacle was cancelled, but that did not stop people from turning out in their numbers.

POLICE ON HAND

The police were on hand, also in numbers, maintaining law and order for the most part.

At the stroke of midnight, the place with the most festivities appeared to be on Campbell’s Boulevard, where Romeich hosted a party in the courtyard of his business establishment.

A police team was directing the heavy traffic streaming along Waltham Park Road as patrons tried to find suitable parking.

The festivities were paused at 11:59 p.m. as the selectors asked for a time check to scream ‘Happy New Year!’ and set off the fireworks. Patrons hugged and cheered. The party at Romeich’s base ended before 1 a.m.

Over at Marketplace, at 12:30 a.m, was another hotspot as the parking spilled over into the roadway.

Watchnight service was observed at the New Life Open Bible Church on Spanish Town Road, as well as New Life Assembly of God on Constant Spring Road.

Worshippers streamed out into the churchyard and into the new year, seemingly making their way home.

When our news team returned to most of the venues at the 1 a.m. start of the nightly curfew, the streets in the Corporate Area were empty.

A vendor, Morgan Wilson, summed up his New Year’s Eve experience as a waste of time.

He said, “Even though we get till 1 a.m., nobody nuh really out; and if dem out, a jus fi watch and not really spend. You find that most people stay in dem area and near to their home. The time serious ya now with crime and COVID. Me hope this year will be it still, and something can gwan. But me mind tell me a soon lockdown time again.”