THE St Catherine Chamber of Commerce said businesses lost millions of dollars yesterday due to unrest in Spanish Town and projected that the losses could worsen if normality does not return to the town soon.

However, the chamber’s president, Dennis Robotham, could not give an estimate of the losses.

“All the stores and shops are closed at this very moment, as the people are scared to death with the kind of gunplay around the town,” Robotham told the Observer.

The town centre was abandoned and regular commercial activity around the area was brought to a halt as the old capital exploded into violence. The area around the market was unusually empty as both vendors and shoppers stayed away while members and supporters of the Clansman gang protested against Sunday’s police slaying of their leader, Donovan Bennett, alias ‘Bulbie’.

“Not even dog waan de out ya, too much gunshot,” a taxi driver quipped.

Robotham said that social intervention was needed now to avoid a total meltdown of law and order in the town.

“Spanish Town has the only “perfect” Georgian Square in the western hemisphere and this should be used to generate jobs for young people,” Robotham said.