MONTEGO BAY, St James — Mayor of Montego Bay Councillor Homer Davis has disclosed plans to construct a state-of-the-art arcade at the site of Old Shoe Market, which has, in recent years, been plagued with infrastructure and health issues.

Addressing vendors at a town hall meeting inside the Montego Bay Cultural Centre Hall at the historic Sam Sharpe Square on Monday, Davis, who is also chairman of the St James Municipal Corporation, revealed that ground will be broken for the construction of the arcade early next year.

“I am happy to announce that we will be breaking ground the first quarter of 2019 to construct a modern market for our vendors over there. We will be looking at over 100 shops there. I know they will not be enough, but it will be a step in the right direction,” Councillor Davis said.

“We don’t have a name for it yet, but at this time we call it the Old Shoe Market. We will be building a very modern, very lovely building there, because I think that our people must have an environment to ply their trade that is befitting our people,” he said. “It will be fitted with bathrooms, it will be fitted with food courts, it will be fitted like any modern mall.”

He noted that even as the market, which is situated in the heart of downtown Montego Bay, has over the years been an eyesore, the “St James Municipal Corporation deliberately did not take any steps to remove anybody out there”.

“…Because if you remove them, where are they going to go?” he questioned.

He was, however, quick to caution that upon completion, the vendors who occupy the facility will be required to pay.

“But let me tell you, it won’t be for free. You will be obliged to pay a rental,” the mayor said.

But most of the vendors present at Monday’s meeting had one concern: They wanted to know if consideration would be given to extending vending hours over the holidays in the city.

Vending time has been confined to between 1:00 pm to 8:00 pm as a condition of the state of public emergency now on in the parish.

Mayor Davis informed the vendors that he was told by the authorities that the hours would be extended, but he could not provide the details of the extension.

“I have spoken with the minister of national security and they are planning to do some extension of the vending time. I can’t tell you how many hours they will be extending it, but what I can assure you [is that] it will be extended,” he said.

The mayor added: “I should be hearing something soon; hoping to hear by the end of this month. We will hear exactly what is being done. But I can tell you it is being given highest consideration at the highest level of Government, because it is important that our people have a lovely Christmas, a Christmas which they themselves will realise some of the extra spending which is out there at Christmastime.”

He implored the vendors that while they peddle their wares, to be mindful not to encroach on the spaces for motorists and pedestrians.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Superintendent Kevin Francis also warned the vendors that the police will be out to ensure that vending is conducted in an orderly manner.