Gary, the handcart maker
Gary Chambers has moved away from being a handcart driver and is now a manufacturer of these carriages.
Chambers, who makes the handcarts on Matthews Lane in downtown Kingston, said that one of them costs at least $20,000.
“It depends on the wheels that are used, enuh. The wheels determine the price. I have been doing this for about three years, so it take like a day to make one, and it can last a long time. The owner just have to treat a cart the same way him would treat a car,” Chambers said.
Chambers operates from a broken-down building on Matthews Lane.
“Mi use to shub handcart, but it no pay much because more time the people dem waah charter me and think dem can just fling wat dem want, so me just start make some cart. A it me a use take care of my family,” he said.
“More time, me no have hand to sell, especially on weekends because a nuff people want it. You have man who do a regular job in the day, and in the evening, them go hustle off dem cart. We store dem here so for dem so dem no have to worry say a man ago destroy or tief dem,” Chambers said.
The handcart manufacturer said that while his is not the most prestigious of jobs, it helps provide for his family.
“Me nuh pay water or light bill, but me will never tief a man tings. Money deh pon it, and a that nuff a the youth dem nuh know. It pays the bills,” he said.