Norman Grindley /Deputy Chief Photographer
Garbage left at the Coronation Market for three days in December last year.Daraine Luton and Gareth Manning, Sunday Gleaner Reporters
THE POSSIBILITY of having the downtown Kingston market district flooded with many more shoppers remains distant owing to the deplorable physical state of most of its markets and arcades.
Anywhere from 6,000 to 8,000 persons sell in the downtown market district per day, normally. In peak periods - Christmas, Easter and back-to-school - the numbers climb to as many as 10,000 per day.
But many factors, including the unsanitary state of many of the markets, are turning seasoned and prospective shoppers away. For this, many persons have criticised the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC) for not properly maintaining the markets, from which it pockets at least $1 million per week in market fees.
The historic Coronation Market is one of 14 markets in the district. When The Sunday Gleaner toured the facility last week, the stench emanating from the bathrooms called the olfactory senses to duty. Cobwebs dangled from the dirty, rusting roof and garbage was piled high on sections of the floor, a striking contrast to the colourful provisions and vegetables on display.
The Redemption Market and Arcade was even worse as the scent of urine, which wafted in the air, forced The Sunday Gleaner team to cut the visit short. This was, however, not before noticing that the facility was hardly used. One elderly woman says people merely use the market to store goods because shoppers did not often go there. "Yuh get betta sales pon di road. When yuh sell off, yuh come back here," she says of the dark and smelly facility.
A deterrent
Francis Kennedy, chairman of the Kingston City Centre Improvement Company (KCCIC), says the physical condition of Kingston's markets is a deterrent to many persons shopping downtown. He believes that if more of the facilities were improved, the multiplier effect would be beneficial to stakeholders there. "If the markets are repaired and upgraded properly, then you are going to have more and more people coming downtown," Kennedy reasons.
He agrees the poor sanitary conveniences in the markets, dirty surroundings and improper drainage are some major factors that drive away potential shoppers. "A lot of persons have become very conscious of the sanitary conditions and the markets are not being run in a very sanitary way. You will get people still coming to the market. You will get the old die-hard who has been doing it for 20 years, but not many more," Francis adds.
He says that the KCCIC is seeking to renovate three of the markets very soon, but will not be able to do so until they are able to negotiate a deal with the KSAC. Of the 14 markets in downtown Kingston, only one - the Pearnel Charles Arcade, which was destroyed by fire two years ago - has received any real attention.
Gary Robotham, commercial manager at the KSAC, tells The Sunday Gleaner that until all the areas of need are substantially addressed, the downtown Kingston market district cannot effectively sell itself to the public as a safe and clean stop for food.
A great challenge
He says that the KSAC does not have enough financial resources to renovate and effectively maintain the markets. Many bathroom facilities and market fixtures, he says, are either stolen or misused not long after installation and this remains a great challenge to the KSAC. "The bathrooms, for example, we may need to go the route of a public education campaign. There are persons who do not know how to use a bathroom," Robotham tells The Sunday Gleaner.
He says the KSAC aims for a buzzing market district, which is clean and comfortable for vendors and shoppers. Until then, many people will continue to stay away from downtown Kingston's markets and arcades.
And for those who continue to shop for better quality and price, which the area is known for, many vendors say they will continue to take their business to them by displaying their goods on the streets to meet buyers who refuse to enter the markets and arcades.
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Mrs. Williams pulls a bag from the trunk of her car, parked on Darling Street, just outside Coronation Market, in downtown Kingston, and heads inside the structure to shop.
She is one of thousands of Jamaicans who turn up at this market to buy food and other produce on a daily basis. She says she lives in Barbican, St. Andrew, but despite the plethora of supermarkets near to her home, she keeps going to Coronation Market. "I have been coming here since I was a young child," the middle-age woman tells The Sunday Gleaner. Whenever I come here, I am guaranteed the best fresh fruits and vegetables."
Sleeps in the market
Vendors from across Jamaica converge in Kingston's market daily, many coming during the peak days of Thursday to Saturdays.
Winsome from St. Ann says she sleeps in the market from Wednesday night and leaves on Saturday in order to minimise the cost of taking her produce to the market, while at the same time maximising revenues. "It would cost too much to travel back to St. Ann and come back the next day," she reasons.
Like many vendors, Winsome laments the deplorable state of the market, which she says has contributed to many potential customers opting instead to buy from vendors who sell on the road.
Troubling concerns
Dirty, malfunctioning bathrooms in the Coronation and Redemption markets, murky surroundings in some areas, and the general dingy look are some troubling concerns of vendors in the markets.
Despite the problems associated with the market, one shopper tells The Sunday Gleaner she prefers to purchase products inside the facilities as they are better priced.
"People who sell on the road normally buy from inside the market and sell on the road ... It's more expensive to buy on the road," the woman says.
A comparison of prices inside the markets with those on the streets reveals little difference. What is clear, though, is that the vendors in both areas are faced with tremendous problems ranging from unsanitary conditions to lack of protection from the elements.
