Morant Bay arcade vendors move to pick up the pieces
Published:Tuesday | June 7, 2022 | 12:08 AMShanna Monteith/Gleaner Writer
Verona Bolton-Hibbert beamed with resilience as she scoured through the rubble of what once stood as her clothing store at the recently incinerated Morant Bay Arcade in St Thomas.
The woman is among some 30-odd micro-business owners who are now fighting desperately to recover from the fiery devastation that destroyed years of their investments, leaving several of them without a source of income.
The authorities are still trying to determine the cause of the fire, which took place over a week ago, damaging a large section of the arcade located on Queen Street.
When reporters visited the scene on Wednesday, Bolton-Hibbert was seen sorting through scorched sheets of zinc at the site of the fire.
The woman, who told The Gleaner that she had been operating her clothing store at the venue for over three decades, admitted that she is still devastated by the happenings.
However, she refuses to stay down.
“People are wondering where to go next. Me decide mi just going to stay right at the corner there because mi nuh have nowhere else to go. So mi a look two pieces of zinc to set up a little shed till better come,” she said.
Bolton-Hibbert was joined by other vendors who called upon the assistance of the Ministry of Local Government.
Head of the St Thomas Municipal Corporation and Mayor of Morant Bay Michael Hue shared that at least two meetings have been held with those affected since the fire.
Another, he said, is to be convened to provide an update on possible spaces that can be utilised by the vendors in the interim.
“We have actively been looking into various areas around the town for suitable spaces, but it has proven difficult. So far, we’ve identified areas that we hope to discuss with the vendors as soon as possible to decide on the way forward,” he said.
The mayor also shared that a perimeter wall is to be erected shortly to secure the now damaged property and that an assessment is being done for the rebuilding and development of the Morant Bay Arcade.
In the meantime, he noted that cleaning activities are under way to rid the area of the ashy residue.
Much-like his colleague, Damain Minot, who occupied a shop space where he ran his multi-service business, shared that while he would be grateful for the assistance from the Government, he cannot sit idly by waiting to see what will happen.
“My shop burn down and my girlfriend own too so is double trouble on us. I do piercings, tattooing, photocopying, and printing. I also offer homework assistance to students. She does hair and nails,” he said, adding that they are now utilising a space close by courtesy of the kindness of his friends.
He told The Gleaner that he has been sharing the shop with his partner, with each of them packing up their supplies and existing space whenever the other has a client.
“This is all our livelihood. I have business loan to repay. Yes, we need help, but we have to do what we can in the meantime until it comes,” he said.
The charred remains and the smell of smoke mirrored the murky mood of users of the space, even those whose shops were saved from the disaster.
Garth Johnston, operator of a pet store in the arcade, believes that the slow pace with which the area is being cleaned is like salt to an open wound.
“When we used to have up our ply-board settings, the authorities used to say that it’s an eyesore to the town and that they need to give us new shops. That was before the fire. Now the place burn down about two Sundays ago and the debris is still all over the place and not even a dumper truck they send to help us clean up. It looks bad,” he said, adding that the sight of the remnants is a constant reminder of the devastation.
He continued: “Clean we up, man. It just make we feel down when we come and see it. My shop didn’t burn out, but it affect me. I couldn’t work the whole week because me stress out. Mi just feel it for people. This is more than an eyesore now.”