MANDEVILLE, Manchester — The leadership of the Manchester Municipal Corporation is being called on to address long-standing issues in the Mandeville town centre amid continued delays in the implementation of a delivery schedule for businesses, ease of congestion, and expansion of the town.

President of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce Mickella Rowe, in responding to questions posed by journalists about a planned ban on a wholesale market at the Central Car Park and congestion in the Mandeville town centre, blamed the municipal authority for poor planning.

“I know that [the ban] has a ripple effect and it is going to affect a lot of families. From a business community standpoint where economics are affected, then it falls right within our laps and that is something we are concerned about. We would like to have a sit-down and see how best we can bring some solutions to the problem,” she said in reference to the November 26 ban announced by Mandeville Mayor Donovan Mitchell recently.

The mayor pointed to congestion and complaints from taxi associations about chaos in the car park necessitating the ban. He said the municipal authority will be demolishing an old building in the Mandeville Market to facilitate the wholesale market there.

Rowe, while addressing a Rotary Club of Mandeville meeting Tuesday evening, called for a practical solution to the problem while also lobbying for the expansion of the town centre.

“There is an issue with the parking and with the traffic — overall discipline. How can we come together and ensure that level of conversation not only benefits and fixes those problems, but still look at the economics and how it is affecting the farmers and other persons’ livelihood and try to come to an amicable agreement as to how we can work together for the benefit of both sides,” she said.

“The Manchester Chamber of Commerce welcomes the extension of the Mandeville town centre on a whole. I know that some years ago when the idea came into place we were a part of that discussion and we welcomed that initiative,” she added.

She reiterated the long-standing problem of congestion in this south-central town in solidifying her point of expansion of commerce.

“The capital, Mandeville, has outgrown the space. Traffic affects the business places, because if it takes too long for you to get to a business place you are not going to want to go there,” she said.

Rowe is also calling for the second phase of Greater Mandeville Traffic Improvement system to be implemented.

“We are welcoming that, because if you start something and you don’t finish it you cannot get the desired result. We are asking that completion of the project is advanced and then we can assess it,” she said.

Phase one of the Greater Mandeville Traffic Improvement System was implemented in December 2023.

Rowe said business owners are also being unfairly ticketed by the police and called on the municipal authority to implement a long-promised delivery schedule for establishments like supermarkets.

“The Manchester Municipal Corporation is speaking about delivery trucks and the congestion in the town centre. What have they done in respect of these businesses who are legitimately operating in these spaces? Have they provided parking for those delivery trucks? Have they provided any form of statutory regulations basically to say you deliver [on a schedule]? she asked.

“It all goes right back to the concern about expanding the town centre, because we have outgrown the town centre. How can you have a furniture store or a supermarket that has to get delivery at least twice per week and you don’t have anywhere for the truck to go to do the delivery?” she asked.

“The problem is not with the businesses [regarding] congestion. The problem is with planning and execution. They have not put things in place for the town, which has outgrown its capacity. The Manchester Chamber of Commerce has had to represent businesses who have received tickets from the police because of the congestion, but what is put in place for them?”

President of Manchester Chamber of Commerce Mickella Rowe addressing a Rotary Club of Mandeville meeting Tuesday evening. (Photo: Kasey Williams)