MONTEGO BAY, St James — The St James Municipal Corporation has written off millions of dollars in debt owed by craft vendors who operate from Montego Bay’s two main markets and will give them new contracts in March.

It is part of a plan that also includes steps to get more customers inside the markets and make it more convenient for them to make purchases.

Vendors are grateful but still want more measures put in place to ensure they don’t need another bailout.

Craft traders at Harbour Street and Old Fort markets will benefit from what Mayor of Montego Bay Richard Vernon has described as the turning over of a new leaf. He met with vendors last Friday.

“Under the craft reset we are doing several things. One, we are writing off $22 million in debt that they have outstanding,” Vernon told the Jamaica Observer.

“With the write-off of the debt, we are cancelling all current contracts and we’ll be using the month of February to establish new contracts for all members,” the mayor added.

Vernon explained that the markets will be spruced up to make them more inviting.

“We will be upgrading the facilities to improve the aesthetics and the functionality and we are eking out opportunities working with Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) and Port Authority to help [vendors] to get access to the hotels and to the port to sell when a cruise ship is in harbour,” he said.

There is also an ongoing push to have vendors accept card payments on their mobile devices, opening up their pool of potential clients.

“We will be digitising the craft market. We started the process already in a partnership with Mastercard. Ten per cent of the traders now have access to the system and can do their transactions using their cellphones,” the mayor told the Observer.

“If you have a card and you ran out of cash and you still see something that you want to buy, you can use your card to tap it on their phone and you carry out your transaction,” he said.

Vendors have opened accounts with NCB to facilitate these transactions.

The craft traders have welcomed the measures and are grateful for the write-off of overdue market fees. They pay $4,500 each month.

“This is a great move, we appreciate it a lot,” president of the Old Fort Craft Traders Association Marylin Falconer told the Observer.

“Everybody owed, but some more than some. Some were at the point of losing the business because it was that much,” she explained.

There were also arrears at Harbour Street Craft Market, according to President Carol McLennon.

“It is a positive because a number of members’ shops were being closed because of non-payment of rent. Some shops going up to five years’ worth of rent,” she said.

Falconer said the goal is for craft traders to be self-sustainable operators of profitable businesses.

“I would never want to see the Government bail us out again,” she said.

She has asked for a meeting with Prime Minister Andrew Holness, Minister of Commerce Aubyn Hill, and Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett to chart a way forward.

“I am of the belief that, from a Government perspective, they should make policies or put in something to protect us so that when the hoteliers come to Jamaica to set up hotels, the smaller people should benefit from what they bring,” she argued.

“I believe it can be an argument where it is mandatory that if you are in Jamaica and investing, five per cent of your business goes to the small people,” Falconer added.

She made it clear that they are not looking for handouts and vendors must pay their monthly fees and taxes

“I believe that the small people must pay their taxes, but if they are not getting any business, they can’t pay taxes. If you come here and make US$20 today and the next two weeks you make US$20, you can’t give the government anything because there is nothing there for the government,” she lamented.

The acceptance of bank cards has been welcomed as a step in their journey to self-sufficiency.

“We are moving into the technology age,” said Harbour Street Craft Market’s McLennon.

“Mastercard is on board so they are giving us the technology to do the transactions. When the tourists come with their credit cards, they can do a sale,” she said happily.

McLennon said vendors will do their best to see how they can improve their sales based on suggestions made during the meeting with Vernon.

“The mayor gave us some ideas on how to find innovative ways to sell our business so we can attract customers to get money, because we can’t sit down and say it is business as usual. We have to find ways to generate income so we can pay our rent,” she said.

McLennon said emphasis will be placed on using social media.

She, however, explained that some work needs to be done at the market.

“We want some signs and we want the infrastructure to be upgraded because there is a dilapidation of the shops. That needs to be done to make it more visitor-friendly,” she urged.