Plans fail because of inaccurate data usage

‘MS ANGIE’, who has been a vendor at the Papine Market for more than 10 years, can attest to the value that her services provide for customers, who trot through the food-peddling business place on a daily basis.

She noted that events such as the flood rains, which ravaged a few parishes recently, are some of the challenges they have had to manoeuvre around over the years.

“Over the years I just try to keep my customers happy. You have the ups and downs like everything else, but we press through,” she said.

“The worm (beet armyworm) affect the skellion (scallion) bad bad, so you know the price increase. The flooding the other day cause lettuce and callaloo to get a big lick, so a pound of lettuce is for $400. The customers complain, but it is costing us more to buy the goods,” she told The Gleaner.

Tanya Mingle, another vendor, had a similar story, noting that despite the challenges, she has been able to provide for her family.

“Di flood deal wid wi bad, but we have to try we best to cater to the customers and at the same time ensure seh we can keep afloat,” she said.

Hugh Johnson noted that one meeting to develop tools to teach the informal sector has been held so far, and said that the dialogue will continue so as to arrive at a suitable solution.

“It’s a great challenge in Jamaica for the entire spectrum of sectors, in terms of accurate data and information. It’s (new tool) not an end in itself, but it’s a good beginning, at least, to let us know where we are. We have seen time and time over in Jamaica, governments implement strategies to address a particular need and it comes to nought because it has no effect on the problem. We are of the impression that it’s because those decisions were arrived at based upon inaccurate data,” he said.