Vendors feel pinch amid croc attacks in hellshire

Recent crocodile attacks in Hellshire, St Catherine have left many persons in the area concerned that their place is getting a bad rap. They argue that the impression being given is that crocs are on the loose, biting people, but nothing could be the further from the truth.

Michael Smith, who has been a fisherman for more than 30 years, said that crocodiles swimming along the beach is not a new phenomenon.

"The sea still safe because a nuh now dem a pass deh. A because go bite the two people dem people a mek it look a way. The crocodile a supm mi use to raise a me yaad, so a long time supm; a nuh nothing new. When the water quiet, them just stray and walk around, so a nuh like them just a come and a bite up people so," he said.

Another resident, Gilroy Thompson, said that if crocodiles were attacking persons randomly, fishermen would not have been able to go into the pond to fish.

"If them did just a walk round and a eat people, dem would a eat the fisherman dem. Di man dem walk round inna the water a try catch fish, enuh. People a pick up conch inna the water every day, and nothing nuh happen to them. Dem would a get nyam long time if dem did a walk round and a attack," Thompson said.

A beachgoer was bitten on his leg in Hellshire two weeks ago, adding to a growing list of persons who have been attacked by crocodiles in the area. But the croc attacks should come as no surprise since signs have been placed in the area by the National Environment and Planning Agency, advising that the reptiles are in the vicinity.

Deon, who has lived in the Hellshire area for more than 20 years, said that people occasionally walk on the crocodiles when they are going through shortcuts in the community and have not been attacked.

"Crocs travel the coastline for years. Most time when the rain fall and the water cold, they swim go in the sea, but him nah attack people like that. People all walk through track and step pan them and nuh know seh a croc dem a walk pan," Deon claimed.

Vincent Johnson, another fisherman, had a different perspective.

"The crocodile them terrible out yah, but wi affi do what we affi do. A inna the water mi find mi likkle dollar. A it mi send mi youth dem through school. One a teacher, and one work up a the shipping company," he said.

Even as residents and fisherfolk related their experience with the crocs, vendors at Hellshire beach said that they have been experiencing a fallout in business, and they attributed this to people staying away from the area due to the fear of crocodile attacks.

ATTACK ZONES

One vendor, Neville Chatrie, told THE WEEKEND STAR that while people have been attacked by crocodiles, those incidents take place closer to the pond and not in the general areas that people normally go for relaxation.

"Not a lot of people know that so dem just nah come. Sales drop. Mi want the people dem get it right, a nuh over here, it happen a closer to the pond," Chatrie said.

Another vendor, Hope Richards said she has been feeling it in her pockets since news about crocodile attacks in Hellshire went viral.

"Hellshire is safe because mi all deh here till 1-2 o'clock in the night, and we have no problem with crocodile or anything like that. From them a talk bout crocodile in the water, things slow down. People use to come inna the night to buy food, but not anymore. things slow down really bad," she said.