Vendors ravaged by fire to resume livelihood

Port Antonio, Portland

Approximately 200 registered vendors, who were ravaged by a massive fire on May 28 at the Musgrave Market in Port Antonio, Portland, are to resume their livelihoods through a temporary arrangement starting today.

The vendors, who suffered heavy losses, will be accommodated at the marshaling hall at the rear of the existing market structure through a temporary move outlined on Thursday during a press briefing.

The press briefing, which was organised through a collaborated effort by Cabinet Minister Daryl Vaz, the member of parliament (MP) for West Portland; his wife Ann-Marie Vaz, who is the MP for East Portland; and the Portland Municipal Corporation, also revealed that more than $30 million was raised in two days to assist vendors with not only restarting their livelihoods, but assisting with the construction of a new market.

“Corporate entities have come on board to assist vendors, who suffered great loss during the massive fire on Sunday," said the East Portland MP.

“First, let me just thank the Government of Jamaica. The Ministry of Local Government has earmarked $10 million that will be used for the immediate clean-up of the market. We have received in two days $30 million in contribution for the rebuilding of the market. I want to announce that each of the 200 vendors will be given a cheque for $100,000 next week to rebuild their lives. It’s not maybe that we are going to rebuild bigger and better, but we will rebuild bigger and better."

She added: “Out of adversity comes opportunity and I am going to ensure that this is the opportunity that all the vendors wanted and needed. Unity and team work is the only way we can move forward. Team work makes the dream work. The aim right now is to ensure that this market is up and running in the shortest possible time. Those vendors have just come out of two years of COVID where they suffered greatly."

The 200 affected individuals range across categories comprising 63 fruit and vegetable vendors, 36 haberdashery vendors, 63 shop and space vendors, 23 craft vendors, and 15 fish and meat vendors. With the damage caused by the fire, plans are in place to have the craft vendors relocated to the Craft Village, along Allan Avenue.

Among the donors that have contributed to not only the well being of the affected vendors, but also to the construction of a new market are Digicel ($5 million); Lifespan bottled spring water company ($500,000); National Commercial Bank ($2.5 million); Sandals Resorts International ($5 million); Action Ann Foundation ($7 million); Stewart's Auto Sales ($2.5 million); the Palmer's family from Portland ($2 million); Bijoux Jewelry ($1 million); Alligator Head Foundation ($500,000); Michael Lee-Chin's Trident ($5 million), and Sonia Lee Chin ($50,000).

In the meantime, Daryl Vaz, who spoke about the importance of ensuring that the plight faced by the vendors is treated as a priority, said additional assistance will be coming for them, but that there is a definite need to allow the vendors to at least kickstart their livelihoods, which have been disrupted by the fire.

“Coming to the assistance of the people in Portland is not anything new for us. Our involvement in things like this is well recorded," the West Portland MP said.

“To raise $30 million in two days in Jamaica, especially when you’re involve in political life, is not easy. It can only happen when you have a good track record. And that track record must have, at the forefront, transparency and accountability. I hear them giving out job description to member of parliament, based on the new salary. I don’t need that. It is important, first and foremost, to help the vendors.

“One stage is an initial compassionate grant of a $100,000s times 200; that is $20 million out of the $30 million. But we feel that it is so important to give them something now, so those who are gonna be temporarily relocated can finally get something to buy. And of course, most importantly, those who lost their livelihood, everything is gone. They still have rent, they still have their children to send to school, they still have their light bill," he concluded.