Tough times for crab catchers

For many crab catchers, farmers and sellers, the closure of 'Crab Circle', the popular vending spot at National Heroes Circle in Kingston, has been devastating, leading to a significant loss of revenue and massive decrease in demand.

The popular hotspot to get crab, corn and soup was closed by health authorities on October 5 for a violation of health protocols after a video of a vendor defecating in a bucket went viral on social media. Crab catchers who normally sell to the vendors have lost their big customers. Among them is crab catcher and seller Alex Matthews, from Portland Cottage in Clarendon. The 26-year-old, who has been selling crabs in downtown Kingston for five years, told THE WEEKEND STAR that he gets sales at National Heroes Circle "right through the year".

"Suh it kinda ruff fi wi right now," Matthews said. "Di Heroes Circle people dem, dem a di most important people we sell to. A dem mek di business keep on going, right through the year. [Dem] anuh like the rest a crab people dem weh buy sometimes inna di month; dem dweet right through the year." Matthews said that he is selling only half the crabs he used to, as Heroes Circle people sometimes purchase up to 12 dozen.

"All this morning [Thursday] when wi inna town, it ruff man. Wi afi carry back half a di crab dem," Matthews said, adding that he went to the market with 32 dozen crabs and only managed to sell 17.

He also said that, because the demand for the crabs is low, he has been forced to sell them for half the price, one dozen crabs for $1,500. He said the low sales are impacting his ability to care for his infant daughter and to continue his business.

"About five a wi go a town this morning and four a wi not even mek no money. Just call it seh three a wi nuh mek nuh money, cah wi afi carry home back di load, cah di amount a people nuh di deh fi buy crab," Matthews said, adding that they are considering hunting any more crabs now.

Matthews usually sells in the market two or three times per week and has to rent a car for $6,000 a day to transport the crabs. He said that everybody who sells raw materials to crab vendors or helps in the crab-selling process has been affected.

"It ruff pon di coal man, di person weh work fi Alice [the vendor who was caught on camera], everybody it ruff fa. All the man dem weh cut up Alice food fi her a morning time, a bawl him a bawl right now," Matthews said.

One Crab Circle vendor said that many of them constantly bought from the crab vendors in Coronation Market.

"When crab season deh inna a di peak, mi tek all eight dozen, 10 dozen crab ... but some tek all 30 dozen crab," she added. She said that, since the closure of Crab Circle, she has not worked consistently, and only sell crabs to customers who make orders. She also said that she is excitedly anticipating the reopening of the once-popular street food hotspot so she can make more money.

When THE WEEKEND STAR visited Crab Circle on Thursday, construction personnel were actively working on a two-stall bathroom structure on the sidewalk next to the vendors' stalls. Next to the structure was a large hole on the sidewalk with pipes running into it and the workers told the news team that that is where the pit for the bathroom is being built. They also said that, behind the bathroom and the stalls, a wash area will be built with a sink for vendors to get running water to cook, wash their crabs and wash their hands while cooking. They added that they expect the construction to be completed by the end of the month.