Still keeping the faith - Faith’s Pen vendors still hopeful despite hard times

Eighty per cent of vendors operating at the Faith's Pen food arcade in St Ann have locked shop since the north-south leg of Highway 2000 opened around five years ago.

But the few remaining ones are determined to keep their doors open, despite a significant decrease in activities at the once popular rest stop that sits between Mount Rosser in St Catherine, and Moneague in St Ann.

After many years of serving sumptuous traditional Jamaican foods such as jerk chicken, ackee and saltfish and curried goat, only six of 31 shops remain open. Hirfa Brown-Gordon, who has been at the location for 17 years, said that her decision to keep going is fuelled by faith.

"We have to stay here because this is a foundation so we can't give it up. This is our bread and butter," she told THE WEEKEND STAR.

The north-south leg of Highway 2000 reduces travel time between Kingston and Ocho Rios, St Ann, and enables commuters to avoid the winding Mount Rosser road, which connects Ewarton in St Catherine to Moneague in the Garden Parish. However, its construction has come at a huge cost to Faith's Pen vendors. The highway has been heavily used, with official data showing 3.9 million trips completed in 2018/2019 and 4.4 million trips in 2019/2020.

Not surprising, the impact on vendors, who once saw the bulk of the traffic pass their business places, has been tough, but they refuse to give up hope.

"I'm still having faith, not just in the business but in God too, because without Him we're nothing. As long as you come out early and your things are presentable, God send the customers and we sell and we give thanks. Not every day is good but we still give thanks for the bad days also," said Brown-Gordon.

She said that overall, business is "not so bad", explaining that as long as you can make a profit it cannot be considered as "bad."

She admitted that with a vastly reduced number of restaurants, those that have remained open are getting a little piece more of the pie.

"But we would appreciate if more shops are open to boost the business more," she added.

Another vendor, who goes by the names of D9 and Mr Hanson, agreed that if more shops open it would be better for the arcade.

"We just need somebody to step in and give us some help. Investment, a that we need, some investment. The stalls really need to paint up and whosoever own the stalls, somebody will come in and occupy them so the business can grow because the more stalls open the more business will grow. So that is what we need now."

Hanson said the introduction of entertainment activities would also help. He said a few "old time customers" stopped by during the Christmas, for which he is grateful.

For the past 15 years, Edwin Thomas has operated Shut Day and Night restaurant at the Faith's Pen food arcade and according to him, this is one of the slowest times.

"Business was slow over the Christmas; mi nuh know what is going on for the new year," he said. But he too believes that the place needs fixing up.

"The place need to clean up, and paint up. A sponsor would be good. Fi di New Year, mi jus' hoping fi di best."

Four customers stopped by the arcade during the almost one-hour visit by THE WEEKEND STAR. One of them was attorney-at-law Sediann Graham-Henry, who has offices in Moneague.

Describing herself as a regular customer to Fiwi Jerk Island, she visits the arcade for "satisfactory food". Graham-Henry said it's heart-rending to see the current state of the rest stop.

"I grew up in this district so it's very disheartening to see all these signs down. I'm hoping that despite what is happening now, some of the owners will come out and give it another try," Graham-Henry said. "The highway is there but a lot of persons still traverse this area; so, we can only be hopeful."