Renovated Yallahs Market Reopens as Government Rolls Out Modern Islandwide Vending Model

Vendors in Yallahs should no longer crowd the roadways or spill outside the formal trading area, now that the town's renovated market in the Square has reopened. The facility was officially relaunched on Friday, 27 March, during a ceremony led by Minister of Local Government and Community Development, the Honourable Desmond McKenzie.

Speaking at the event, McKenzie raised concern about how many public markets across Jamaica have been leased to private operators, leaving genuine vendors unable to use the spaces as they were meant to. "Today I am here to honour a commitment that was made by the government… Right across Jamaica, there are number of markets in Westmoreland, Manchester, all over, and we have started to reclaim these markets and to put them back into the hands of the Municipalities and to allow vending to take place in an orderly and a decent fashion," he said.

The Yallahs site had long been tied up under contract with a privately run auto mechanic operation before the recent upgrade. McKenzie also noted that a large share of Jamaica's market buildings date back more than a century, having been handed down from the colonial period.

"There are over 38 market across Jamaica and 96% of those markets is more than 100 years old…since 2016, while we continue to renovate markets, we are building new markets. Just a couple weeks ago, I broke ground in Alexandria in St Ann for construction of a brand-new market. Couple months ago, I opened a brand-new market in Buff Bay in Portland, [earlier], we built a brand-new market in Port Maria and at present we are reviewing a new design for the Morant Bay Market here in St Thomas," he said, as he outlined the administration's wider push to refresh markets and support local economic activity.

In recent years, the Government has opted to build or rehabilitate markets using updated designs that emphasise ventilation, fire safety, properly sized stalls, and dependable sanitary facilities. Under the new approach, individual vendors can arrange prepaid electricity service through the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS), a step officials say will cut energy waste and reduce heavy electricity costs borne by municipal corporations.

The prepaid system is also intended to curb fires linked to illegal wiring. According to the Minister, "9 out of every 10 fires in markets, can be attributed to electrical short circuit… we are in discussions with the Jamaica Public Service Company, where there is a need for the markets because administrative work must go on in the market but the same way you buy credit and put on your telephone, we have started in Buff Bay, the market in Buff Bay has a system where if the vendors want to be connected to get light, they go in and they make arrangements."

McKenzie called on vendors and residents in Yallahs to follow the rules set by the Municipal Corporation so the shift back into the market can run smoothly.