Mouthwatering melons at Marvin Rodney's stall

Upon entering Coronation Market in downtown Kingston, it is almost impossible not to be captivated by Marvin Rodney's welcoming smile.

Loaded on his stall are dozens of watermelons and pineapple melons. It is not the best day in terms of sales, but Rodney is confident that everything will be sold by Saturday.

"Sometimes me and me grandmother nuh have hand to sell, but by Saturday nothing nah leave to go home with," he said, as he showed the news team his other stall with tomatoes.

Rodney is no stranger to the market world, as he has been making the weekly trips with his other grandmother since he was nine years old.

"Mi granny used to sell on Darling Street because dem time deh nobody nah come into the market. Me deh here from market bun down and build back. Mama used to sell a lot of ground provisions, and me used to have me little bag a orange a gwaan juggle to help send me go school," he said.

By age 13, Rodney added bammy to his market goods, and this was enough to finance him through Ewarton High School and Moneague College.

Although he is now a certified chef, vending remains as a second job. And, his days of travelling on a train to the market is never far from his memories.

"When me a pickney, it did much nicer enuh because crime was something you never really hear bout. We used to wake up at 3 o'clock so that we can catch the train half an hour later. It was something I look towards every Saturday. No one never used to trouble you stuff, and a whole heap more buyers used to be here. But now a lot of people are going to supermarket," he said.

He stated that he is never harassed by extortionist, but, like most market vendors, he is plagued by thieves.

"A man will beg you a bills or two, but is not a bad up ting. But the criminal dem will grab you bag and grab the buyer dem chain and phone. Because a dat, the people dem nuh waa come in here. When me a sleep at nights me have to sleep with one eye open, and when da one deh tired yuh open the next eye and close the other one. You can't sleep with both a dem shut or the man dem will move yuh goods," he said.

Collecting $100 for a pound of his pineapple melon, Rodney told THE STAR that his provisions are sold by the season.

"Everything has its season, so today me will sell melon and the next two weeks is a next fruit. Once the prices get too high, we start buying or planting other type of food," he said.