Construction of Musgrave Market gets under way
AFTER A lengthy delay, work has started on the construction of a new, state-of-the-art building to house more than 200 vendors at the Musgrave Market in Port Antonio, Portland, which was gutted by fire on May 28 last year.
Annmarie Vaz, member of parliament (MP) for Eastern Portland, told The Gleaner yesterday that she welcomed the construction, which was not only delayed due to procurement issues, but also the time it took to receive approvals for the plans from various relevant agencies.
“The livelihood of approximately 200 vendors was brought to a halt following the devastation caused by the fire. Fortunately, my husband (Daryl Vaz) and I managed to raise a little over $20 million in less than a week following the inferno,” Vaz said.
“We managed to pay out $100,000 to each of the 200 vendors, which amounted to $20 million, in just two weeks after the fire as we thought it best to help the vendors with a little stipend so as to ease some of the undue burden brought about by the destruction of the market. Today, I am happy that work on the market has begun, and I am anticipating that the promise given by the contractor for the work to be completed in six months will be honoured.
“The aim is to ensure that the vendors, my East Portland family, will be able to get back into a more secure and spacious building to continue with their livelihood. Presently, they are occupying an area at the Neville Antonio Park, which is actually a green space for recreational activities for the young at heart and the elderly. It was designed for relaxation, but due to the emergency caused by the fire, the vendors are allowed to use that space temporarily. Other vendors are scattered elsewhere, which is not what we want to happen, “she added.
According to the East Portland MP, it is her intention to have all the vendors plying their wares, produce, and other items in one building, which she said would make it a lot easier for consumers to shop, rather than having them visiting several areas throughout the streets of Port Antonio to make purchases.
It was a special fund set up by the East Portland MP, along with her husband, Daryl Vaz, who is the standard-bearer for the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) in the neighbouring constituency of West Portland as well as a government minister that has paved the way for the construction of a new market.
NOWHERE TO STORE GOODS
However, some of the concerns raised by vendors are that a second payout, which was promised, has not been forthcoming and that even though they are occupying a space at the Neville Antonio Park, they have nowhere to store their goods at nights as the area is not secure. As a result, the vendors say they have to pack their goods during the evenings and transport them to their homes daily then back to the area in the mornings, which has caused hardships on their pockets.
It is against that background that the MP said there is now a definite need for the building to be completed on time in order to ensure that vendors have a secure area where they will be able to safely store their items.
“So we have gotten positive responses from all our donors, and we will be spending in the region of $18 million for the first phase of the construction that will pave the way for the vendors to occupy a more secure and user-friendly building. A second payout will be made, but this time around, only vendors that would have lost everything in the blaze will benefit. The first payout was done in June 2023, and that was aimed at providing every vendor with a little money to settle their immediate expenses and provide meals for their family.
“Therefore, no one can point a finger and say that only a few benefited. Every vendor got $100,000, irrespective of whether or not they lost two pumpkins, one orange, or just one item of clothing. I am feeling a lot better now knowing that the actual construction has started, and in another six months, vendors will be occupying a spacious and safe area. Included in the construction is a secured storage space, which will make a lot of difference, as the vendors will no longer have to pay taxi fares to transport their goods to and fro,” the MP concluded.