LEIGHTON WILLIAMS, Staff Reporter
Fruits and water vendors in the Bog Walk Gorge say business is bad when the Gorge is closed. - NORMAN GRINDLEY PHOTOS
REPAIRS TO FLAT Bridge have not only cut down on the number of cars going through the Bog Walk Gorge in St. Catherine, it has also slashed the amount of money vendors used to make selling to motorists.
The vendors, who sell at the traffic lights on either side of the Flat Bridge, say since the National Works Agency (NWA) announced in January that the bridge would temporarily be closed for repairs, they have made less money although very little work has taken place on the bridge.
"Mi use to sell all four case a water but now we caan sell half dozen. Sometime we not even bruk we ducks cause nuff vehicle hardly come roun' here," explained Annarine Garnett, a vendor in the Gorge.
"Dem seh work would a tek two months an' seh di bridge close but it a go longer dan dat an' we caan mek no money because no vehicle nah come roun' here. Although dem seh di bridge open back three o' clock di vehicle dem still nah come roun' here," she added.
Water is sold at $50 per bottle and a case of water has 24 bottles. Hence, a good day for the vendors would see them selling up to $4,800. But, since the announcement, that amount has dropped to $300.
Garnett says although they were prepared for the bridge to be closed for a few hours every day, the vendors are of the view that since no work is taking place in the area then vehicles should be allowed to pass.
Jennifer Smith, another vendor, said shrimp sales had declined as well because the higglers were afraid they would spoil before being sold.
She said vendors who sold doughnuts used to buy 100 boxes but have been purchasing less as fewer vehicles are entering the Gorge.
"Sometimes dem all spoil pon we so because a dat we buy less," she said.
Incidentally, during the time of THE STAR's visit, none of the vendors made a sale. And, vehicles travelling through the gorge were few and bar between. It was not until 3:00 p.m. that vehicles started passing the area regularly.
Aside from poor business, the vendors complained that residents living near Flat Bridge were not employed on the site.
When contacted, Douglas Moodie, parish manager for the National Works Agency (NWA), said he has received no complaints from vendors in the area but said the bridge had to be repaired.
"People will always grumble when they are losing money but we have to deal with safety first," he said.
Moodie said he could not comment on the fact that persons in the area were being overlooked.
"You might have one or two good swimmers in the area but you need equipment to do the dives and as far as I know they don't have it so maybe that's why they were not hired," he said.
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