Champs vendors fear low sales - Barred from selling outside National Stadium’s gates

Amid the sheer jubilation about the return of fans to the ISSA GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Athletics Championships (Champs), seasoned vendors who ply their trade at the National Stadium wore a gloomy look on their faces.

The vendors, who decry the absence of the 'Champs spirit', fear that they may not be able to capitalise on this year's event as they are forced to relocate from their usual spots in front of the entrance gates.

"Since Wednesday, dem say we can't sell on the sidewalk. Dem a plan fi take weh the things and dem a run we weh. We feel a way fi know the country close two years now and it open up a likkle way. This a the first big event, and dem really a do this to we? The Government say them a open up the country fi poor people and me a look forward to Champs to make a likkle money an we a get a fight. Me feel so bad," Ann-Marie said.

The veteran vendor has been selling soup, juices, snacks and sweets at Champs for over three decades, and explained that it would be difficult to walk along the Arthur Wint Drive corridor to get sales.

"That can't make nuh sense either, 'cause me can't put dem [goods] down and walk lef me things fi go sell. Dem will tek it weh from me. Me nah feel this year Champs at all," she said. Champs was not held in 2020 because of COVID-19. Fans were not allowed at the last staging.

Yesterday, flag vendors Junie and Likkle Miss lamented that were unable to make a sale in the first three days of the event which started on Tuesday. They argue that the decision to have vendors relocated to Mountain View Avenue or behind the perimeter fences in front of the stadium will affect sales, which they have been anticipating for the past 24 months.

"Dem nuh want we nuh weh pon the sidewalk. So all pon the big day dem Friday and Saturday, weh you know the crowd ago nuff, we nah go sell nothing. We just a ask dem fi free it up likkle bit," Likkle Miss pleaded.

Other vendors, who asked not to be named, added that they have taken loans from financial institutions to purchase goods for the Champs crowd, but the threat of those products being confiscated by the police does not encourage them to embrace the entrepreneurial spirit.

Paul Moore, who has been selling pan chicken, liquor and soup outside the stadium gates for decades, told THE WEEKEND STAR that he will play the wait-and-see game, as he does not believe the new measures will be strictly enforced.

"Me nah go sell nothing if me go way up a Mountain View. Me deh far from the action, me a go sell to the tree dem. If me come Saturday and me hear that we affi go so far, me maybe go weh and come back because, in the evening, dem might free we up. Might be in the morning dem strict with it but, in the evening, dem free we up. Me really never did a expect this news but me have bills fi take care of," Moore shared.

Head of the St Andrew North Police Division, Senior Superintendent Marlon Nesbeth, explained that the reason for relocating vendors is to allow for the free flow of traffic and free passage of pedestrians.