Vendors at the St Ann’s Bay market have praised the authorities for ensuring that the facility is clean. However, they are complaining about poor lighting and unbearable heat.

According to 39-year-old Juliet Newell, who said she has been a vendor for 10 years, the lamp at the entrance to the market has been out for more than three months, despite a promise from the authorities to have it fixed.

“There is barely any light in the market and there is no light on the outside, out here is dark. We use phone light. Dem seh dem a go fix it and still nuh do it. Sometimes customers can’t see in their handbags to take out their money,” she said.

Another vendor, Dawn Black, who said she has been selling in the market for 20 years, told the Jamaica Observer that she was forced to carry her own fan as the heat has been intolerable.

“In here very hot, especially on a Saturday, and mi use the phone light at night-time but mi try come out before it get dark. Wi try nuh stay until it get too dark,” said Black.

Efforts by the Observer to get a response from the St Ann Municipal Corporation yielded no success.

Another vendor, 66-year-old Beverley Riley, agreed but pointed to other problems, among them potholes at the front of the market,.

“Dem waah fi patch out because when the rain fall, the water settle inna it. Is a shame, man and they still charging market fee. Mi usually pay $1,050 and mi come on the outside and pay $700 because wi nuh have no light in deh. I rented a stall and from then I don’t use it because it want to fix up. When the rain fall, the water blow in, so mi just stay here so,” said Riley.

The handful of vendors, who were inside the market when the Observer visited, complained that those on the outside chose not to sell indoors.

One fruit vendor on the outside of the market, Leroy Pryce, said that it is easier to get sales out there. He also said that the space inside the market is inadequate to house the number of vendors.

“A one way in and one way out. Everybody a come from one entrance. That nuh mek sense. The market cyaan hold everybody. Nobody nah go waan come in, dem a go just buy at the front. You get good sales out yah so because people drive and pass. Nuh much space not there and in deh hot. It just nuh mek sense,” he said.

Another vendor, who gave her name as Miss Angie, had a similar argument.

“You know say a right here at the gate mi sell? I have my stall inside, mi sell in there, but sometimes the people don’t want to come in the market,” she said.