PORUS, Manchester — Smiles returned to the faces of owners and operators of some businesses along the south coast corridor spanning Clarendon and Manchester as motorists have started avoiding the May Pen to Williamsfield leg of Highway 2000 now that the toll is in effect.

For two years the highway, which bypasses Clarendon Park and Porus, was free until the toll, which can cost motorists up to $1,400, was implemented last Saturday..

Juici Patties founder and proprietor Jukie Chin is among the business owners seeing a return of customers at his Clarendon Park headquarters.

“Since they started collecting Saturday, business has improved… I spoke to my fruit vendor and she said she has seen the improvement already… My [view] is that everybody will see an improvement in business,” he told the Jamaica Observer on Monday.

Chin said despite the decline at the Clarendon Park location over the past two years, he kept all staff.

“We didn’t lay off anybody, we kept them here, so they are fully occupied now,” he explained.

Councillor Claudia Morant-Baker (Jamaica Labour Party, Porus Division) said the toll implementation has brought joy to small business owners in Porus and its environs.

“I know Porus will be revived. A lot of people do not want to pay the toll… My people along that stretch, from Scott’s Pass to Porus, will get some business,” she said.

However, she is lobbying for the Porus Market to be reopened for more people to capitalise on the return of commerce in the town.

“I know the potential of that market. I watched the businesses over the period of time that the highway impacted the area. Now, businesses will get more customers coming through and Porus, hopefully, will continue to grow. Already you see additional buildings going up, new cookshops going up,” she said.

“I am happy for the opportunity for business to be opened a little later [than usual]. Even on Grand Market night I was so happy when I saw the activity in Porus — and it wasn’t like that for the past two years,” she added.

When asked about the lifting of a curfew in recent months, Morant-Baker said business people and citizens are being vigilant to maintain order in Porus.

“I have to give them kudos for maintaining the no-crime stance because I am going to say to my people, ‘Let us keep it that way. Watch each other. Let us keep an eye on each other’s business and each other’s homes so that we can continue to have a safe Porus,’ ” she said.

“The business people are determined that nobody is going to take away our income earned from Porus — especially the small businesses, because they are determined to survive. We are saying to those persons who come to disrupt Porus, ‘Go back where you come from because Porus is going to continue to be that district and town where we can live, work, and do business,” she added.

Wayne Miller, who operates Jus’ Chicken & Things restaurant, neighbouring the Porus Police Station, shared a similar sentiment.

“Porus is one of the communities where you can leave your house door open and nobody will trouble you,” he said.

He welcomed the introduction of the toll, saying that it has boosted economic activity in Porus.

“We saw the difference right away as people were stopping to have a drink, get something to eat. The charging of the toll has put traffic and commerce in Porus. I will say it is looking very positive,” he said.

Across the road from Miller’s restaurant, business is also booming at the Porus jerk pit to where chef Andre Messam said customers are returning.

“I am happy that the toll [is implemented]. The people can come back around on the old road so I can sell more food, more chicken… I feel that the money on the toll is too tight [high], but I am glad that the toll [is implemented],” he said.

“Some truckers that we haven’t seen [in a long time] park up on the sidewalk and eat their jerk chicken. At night, the people can hang out more and more business can go on. Saturday I left work late because people were saying they were not going on the toll. They save their money to buy food; all one o’clock [in the morning] me out here selling soup,” he added.

Neighbouring the jerk pit, Marcia Watson operates a bar. While acknowledging the return of traffic in Porus she was cautiously optimistic about how her business will benefit.

“Well, it nuh make a difference enuh because things slow down for a good while now so it doesn’t really have anything to do with me. Customers support as much as they can, but the road was really busy Saturday,” she admitted.

“People will [still] use the toll because it is easier and faster. All they need to do is buy the T-Tag because it is a little cheaper and quicker… People pass through and buy food and stop at supermarkets and the road is busy,” she added.

At Scott’s Pass, fruit vendor Cecil Douglas said while business has picked up, the shortage of some produce has affected his sales.

“The traffic is nuff, enuh, and the support nuh really started to pick up. The selling is still slow— because of the storm plenty of the things that we should have at this time, we don’t have them to sell,” he said in reference to the decrease in fruit supplies after the passage of Hurricane Melissa on October 28.

“People stop, but you don’t have what they want,” he explained. At the same time he remained optimistic about the future, saying, “It will improve.”

However, he is calling on the National Works Agency to urgently address the deterioration of the Scott’s Pass main road.

“The road sank very deep, and when the cars are coming on my side I have to look out all the while [because I’m thinking that] somebody is going to run into the stall. A lot of [side view] mirrors I see lick off right there,” he said.

A few kilometres away at Whitney Turn, vendor Heyward McLean said he is yet to benefit from the return of traffic to the old road as he is experiencing financial hardship in stocking his stall.

“Most of the vehicles are not driving on the toll because the toll is too dear. And the big old trucks are not taking it, and there is a hill there that is giving the trucks trouble, so most of them are coming around here now,” he said.

“We don’t have any money to buy anything to put on the stall… Melissa came and blew off of my housetop… I wouldn’t mind getting a start to bounce back right now to start up the business,” he added.

A woman purchasing fruits from a stall near Whitney Turn in Clarendon on Monday.

Scott’s Pass fruit vendor Cecil Douglas speaking with the Jamaica Observer on Monday. He said while business has picked up, the shortage of some produce has affected his sales.

Vehicles in the drive-through at Juici Patties in Clarendon Park on Monday (Photo: Kasey Williams)

The Toll Gate toll plaza on the May Pen to Williamsfield leg of Highway 2000.

Porus jerk pit chef Andre Messam telling the Observer he is happy the toll has been implemented as he is seeing a return of customers.

Bar operator Marcia Watson speaking to the Jamaica Observer on Monday.