CRAFT vendors at Musgrave Market in Port Antonio say they are dissatisfied with the Portland Parish Council for its failure to address the lack of electricity in that section of the facility for more than two months.

When the Jamaica Observer North East visited the market the few craft vendors who were present complained about the sweltering heat.

“The place is so hot and we don’t have any plug, so we can plug in a fan and we don’t have any power over here for two months now,” the vendor said.

“All dem do is collect the money for the stall and don’t tek care of the place. A $300 fi one lickle stall every week and the business slow, and as it get dark we have to pack up and leave because the front is without power,” lamented another vendor.

Lack of electricity they say also pose a security risk for them.

Secretary Manager of the Portland Parish Council Fay Neufville told the Observer North East that the council is aware of the situation in the craft market.

“We are going to do a proper survey of the market to correct the electricity problem. We charge a small fee, but it is not enough to do the necessary maintenance as the market is not generating enough revenue,” she said, adding, “We are trying our best.”

Neufville said they are appealing to users of the market to take care of it and not to steal electricity as this can cause fire.

She said it is the plan of the mayor, Councillor Wayne McKenzie, to better organise the market by having ground produce, meat and haberdashery in separate areas.

“We have had problems with the vendors at the front of the market, especially the jerk vendors, and although we have taken them to the RM court and won, some have paid the fine and relocated or returned,” she said. “We also need to get vendors on Lower Williams Street removed to keep that area clear” she added.

Craft vendors at Port Antonio Craft Village are not similarly affected.

— Everard Owen