No movement days negatively impact vendors

On 15 September, Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced new curfew measures. On weekdays, curfew begins at 8:00 pm to 5:00 a.m. On Saturdays, the curfew begins at 6:00 p.m, and continues into Sunday, which is a no-movement day. The curfew ends at 5:00 am on Monday. These measures will continue until 28 October 2021. These were instituted to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The Jamaica Monitor spoke to several vendors to find out how their earnings had been affected by the no-movement days. Even though the previous three-day no-movement period has ended, numerous vendors have noted that the loss over that period had affected their families tremendously.
Several vendors to whom the Monitor spoke shared that the no-movement days and curfews have affected their ability to earn a living and provide for their families. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Bernice Gloria-Barracks, a june plum vendor who operates in Half-Way-Tree said the no-movement days had made it difficult for her to pay her bills and buy groceries. “It affect me a lot because me nah mek no money and you know we have the kids dem a yard fi feed and so forth,” said Gloria-Barracks. She added that over the period she had lost more than 50 per cent of her regular profits.
“Sometimes we don’t sell 25 per cent out of our stock and it is rough. Dem know seh we have things fi do, and we have wi bills fi pay. Who gonna give wi money?” added the vendor. Gloria- Barracks said she has had no alternative source of income on no-movement days. “Some of my family have it. They are working. But me now weh nuh have no help, COVID really affect me because as you see them only ask for the price and walk weh,” said the june plum vendor.
Camile, also known as ‘Cookie’, who sells jewellery on the street in Half-Way-Tree, says she has had to find new ways to sell her products on lockdown days. “I have to ensure that I maintain a good customer service. I have to make sure because I have some real loyal customers. My clientele have been really good to me throughout the whole COVID,” said Camile. She said she is grateful that her customers still call her to order jewellery for birthdays and other events. Camile also noted that she has been using social media to try to sell her products.
Even so, Camile added that she has lost 70 per cent of her normal profits because of COVID-19 and no-movement days. “It has affected me really bad because in terms of sale, you know that in a time like this and you hear COVID, nobody is really focusing on jewellery because everybody wants to focus on food and bills,” added Camile,
However, some vendors expressed that they were not affected by no-movement days and enjoyed time at home with their families.
Fruit vendor Irvine Jackson said “Well, I adjust my mind to the lockdown and working over the years, I relax myself at home and make use of it,”. Jackson said he made himself content with what he earned when there were three no-movement days. “I make myself content because I not schooling children anymore although my children still live at the house. Everybody is actually working so it wasn’t such an impact on me,” said Jackson. Jackson, who sells fruits in New Kingston, added that he looks forward to no-movement days.
Additionally, vendor Maureen Henry said no-movement days gave her more opportunities to spend time at home doing housework. “To me, everything work out the same. Me sell the same. No changes,” said the vendor. She added that even though she has to stop working earlier, because of curfews, she has been able to maintain the same volume of sales.
However, Henry noted that her daughter lost her job because of the pandemic. “A just Tuesday she gone back. So that was kinda hard because you know me haffi find food and everything for she and her kid so since Tuesday she gone back to work,” said Henry. Overall, Henry has lost no profits due to no-movement days.
While the responses were mixed, most vendors to whom the Jamaica Monitor spoke were negatively impacted and suffered a major loss in income and looked forward to a return to normality.