Ackee Village vendors enthused about new market

The Portmore Ackee Village vendors are more enthused about a market the Portmore Municipality Corporation and the St Catherine Municipal Corporation are building for them as efforts are being made to help them better manage their monies through classes at the HEART Trust-NTA in Portmore, arranged by Portmore Mayor Leon Thomas.

In March of this year, some of the vendors expressed concerns about losing customers who might not wish to come off their route to enter the Ackee Village.

But efforts by the mayor and the municipal council to cater to their needs seem to have appeased their initial frustrations.

"They sent us to a class last week to teach us how you would save money and how to deal with customers," vendor Evan Green told THE STAR.

On Monday, distribution company Wisynco officially signed an agreement, formalising their partnership with the municipality and the municipal council.

The new development will see the relocation of vendors from the makeshift stalls located along the bridge which connects Mandela Highway to Greater Portmore.

Units with electricity and running water will be created as a rest stop for those travelling through the Lakes Pen area.

"Ackee Village is the main gateway to our municipality," said Thomas, adding that the area will get a facelift with new signs, a recreation area, and plants.

Wisynco Chairman William Mahfood said, "Through this partnership, the area will gain the visibility that residents working and living in the area can be proud of."

This development will also partner with Wisynco's environmental care brand, Wisynco Eco. Recycling bins will be installed for passers-by and vendors.

Each vendor will pay a weekly rental fee of $2,000. Green said this is reasonable since they will not be responsible for the water bill.

"Nothing in life is free, and we are getting bathroom and we not paying for water; so $2000 is not bad," said Green, who has been selling at the spot for over 10 years. "Sometimes our customers want to use the bathrooms and we affi a send dem in the bush, so it better now."

The first phase of the Ackee Village development is expected to be opened in the middle of July.