Portmore operators sing ENDS’ praises

April 01, 2021
Verol Scarlett, a pan chicken vendor who operates from the Naggo Head taxi stand in Portmore, St Catherine.
Verol Scarlett, a pan chicken vendor who operates from the Naggo Head taxi stand in Portmore, St Catherine.
Donette Prendergast of Prendy’s on the Beach.
Donette Prendergast of Prendy’s on the Beach.
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Donette Prendergast, owner of Prendy's on the Beach in Hellshire, and Verol Scarlett, a chicken vendor in Portmore, are two St Catherine operators who are singing praises of the e-Commerce National Delivery Solution (ENDS).

The business operators say the platform has enabled them to reach customers who have been forced to stay away due to curfew and other measures implemented by the Government to control the spread of COVID-19.

Through the ENDS portal, members of the public will be able to order their goods and services, whether it's food or pharmaceuticals, and be able to have them delivered.

Positive move

"The door that has been open for us to deliver during curfew hours is a positive move because after curfew everything would have been locked down and we can still operate. Last night, we operated up to midnight and the night before, persons were able to get their meals delivered to their doorsteps. So that is a plus," Prendergast told THE WEEKNED STAR.

Prendy's on the Beach is a popular seafood eatery. While it's larger in scale than Scarlett's pan chicken business, he too sees the benefits of ENDS.

"I feel good about the ENDS thing because we can sell after curfew hours. It is a plus for me. Me a smile right now because it is a good thing them do for us," he said.

The ENDS initiative is aimed at enabling business operators to provide their services to their customers as Jamaicans continue to experience an islandwide lockdown.

Prendergast says being able to operate will see her business being able to stay afloat.

"Maybe me would have to just tell Mr JPS to lock me up or something when it's time to pay bills," she laughed. "I use to go home and pray that they work something out for business owners and see it here now, so I'm happy."

Scarlett believes that ENDS could be the way back to financial viability for his business that has suffered significant fallout since the pandemic arrived a year ago.

"From COVID a just bare hand to mouth. Say I use to sell three buckets of chicken before COVID. Now I only sell one and a half. But if we get a chance to work with ENDS for some more time, I know I will see some better profit because people won't really have anywhere else to get certain stuff," Scarlett told THE WEEKEND STAR.

ENDS is set to extend into Kingston and Montego Bay this weekend.

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