KINGSTON, Jamaica— Opposition Spokesperson on Local Government, Community Development and Sports, Natalie Neita Garvey, has expressed “extreme concern” over the frequency of fires in public food and dry goods markets.

In a statement on Thursday, Neita Garvey said the situation with fires had reached crisis proportions and demanded that the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and all Municipal Corporations devise an urgent action plan and response mechanism to prevent fires and mitigate the huge losses to the state and vendors.

“It is the Government’s responsibility to ensure the safety of vendors and shoppers in all markets and it must exercise its duty of care without delay,” she said.

The Opposition Spokesperson said Monday’s fire at the Ray-Ray market was the fourth since 2019, and that there is no evidence that the Ministry had done a comprehensive examination of the infrastructure, electric wiring and fire prevention systems. In addition, she said there have been three fires at Coronation Market in two years and one at the Highgate Market in St Mary.

READ: WATCH: Fire raging at Ray Ray market in downtown Kingston

Neita Garvey said Local Government Minister, Desmond McKenzie, should take an urgent look at the situation, which has resulted in serious damage to buildings and vendors losing millions in goods stored in the markets.

According to Neita Garvey, since the fire at the Coronation Market on December 11, and the fire at the Ray Ray Market on Monday, vendors have received no assistance in restoring their livelihoods.

The Opposition Spokesperson pleaded for urgent action to get all markets to the required fire safety levels, which should then be audited and approved by the Jamaica Fire Brigade.

She said there should be no compromise in the standard of safety for the people who use the markets and arcades islandwide.