OCHO RIOS, St Ann - When Digicel first joined Cable & Wireless on the cellular phone market a few years ago, many users switched to the new kid on the block or just made space in their lives for yet another mobile phone.

Since then, the cell market has mushroomed, with the addition of Centennial and, most recently AT&T, to the obviously lucrative niche. And there has been a steady accompanying growth in the street side vendors of every conceivable accessory for the popular 'cellie' who provide stiff competition for store operators.

They have now become so firmly entrenched in the society that some store owners, who sometimes find themselves unable to meet a customer's needs, may advise him to seek out a sidewalk vendor.

With the wide range of merchandise offered, it is no surprise that the vendors have built a reputation of reliability and variability.

They offer chargers, face plates, strings, cases and cards. But lately, some street vendors have been offering batteries, chips and even phones without chips. Some offer repair services, doing the job effectively even without having any formal training.

Some of this new breed of street side sellers hesitantly admit to being unemployed and/or involved in criminal activity before their new job. For others, sidewalk sales is nothing new - they're just offering new wares.

For 21 year-old Ocho Rios resident, Kemar Pottinger, selling slippers and other small items had its fair share of problems; so he made the decisive move six months ago.

"The police dem used to give me a fight. Me used to sell slippers and dem take dem weh and all carry me go a court, so me haffii come wid something lighter this trip fi dem," he told the Observer as he stood watch over the inverted box-drink carton that serves as the display counter for his goods.
He makes more selling cellie accessories than he made selling slippers, he hesitantly admitted.

Seated on a section of the sidewalk near the busy section of Ocho Rios, "up by the clock", Pottinger always keeps an eye out for "the police van". Cops sporadically move him, and others like him, from off the streets.

He has already been hauled before the court and does not want to go back, not even for the 10 days he said the cops threateningly told him he would have to do.
"Me a try look out hard fi dem," he said.

Pottinger is one of nearly a dozen persons in the heart of Ocho Rios who sell phone accessories. There are those who sell only phone cards, while others stock up on a wide array of goods.

Up to four months ago "Bunny", another Ocho Rios resident whose wares were laid out on a custom-made display rack, sold peanuts. But that's exactly what he made from the venture - peanuts. So he switched to cellie accessories, a more lucrative endeavour.

"Jermaine", originally from Clarendon but now living in Ocho Rios, jumped at the chance to be interviewed. For him, this was his opportunity to let his relatives know he makes an honest living. He has been selling phone accessories since last year and he also does repairs.

And just across from the clock in the heart of Ocho Rios, close to the Esso service centre and literally forming an arch along the walkway in front of the ATM machine, is the town's most popular gathering of cell phone accessory vendors.

Jeffrey offered to be the spokesperson for the group. They have been selling ever since Digicel came on the market, he explained.

"We sell everything fi every phone - Digicel, Cable & Wireless, Centennial. We sell face, case charger, battery, chip, cards, we do repairs, everything," he said.

Having established a position "on the corner", Jeffrey and his crew are not bothered by the cops.

Jeffrey is one of those persons who switched from the slower cologne market, to the cellie accessories market that usually offers quicker sales and quicker cash turn-over. But business is a bit slow now, he complained.

"But it soon pick up back," he said confidently.

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