By Erica James-King, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
T HE TRELAWNY Parish Council has been granted $2.5 million to address glaring sanitation needs at the Falmouth Market which was closed by the public health department Monday.
The funds were handed over during a meeting between Local Government Minister Portia Simpson Miller, Mayor of Falmouth Councillor Jonathan Bartley and other representatives of the council at the local government ministry's Hagley Park Road offices in St. Andrew.
The Minister's intervention comes on the heels of repeated requests from the Falmouth-based council for funding to rehabilitate the market.
ADITTIONAL FUNDS NEEDED
But the money allocated falls short of the $9 million the council needs to carry out substantial repairs to the facility.
"The money that we received is grossly inadequate, but it is more than the council was initially promised by the Local Government Ministry. So, we are still thankful for it," Mayor Bartley told The Gleaner in an interview.
The Ministry had originally said it could only finance $1.2 million of the repair bill.
The council protested the offer, leading to the Local Government Ministry reviewing its decision and topping up the offer by $1.3 million.
In the meantime, the mayor is promising that the painting of the meat and fish units in the market, the cleaning of drains, and the paving of the market will be given priority.
He is also promising a speedy rehabilitation of the market.
"I am confident we can finish most of the repairs that the money will allow us to do, by Saturday. We will try to work night and day to ensure that the work is completed as quickly as possible, for the good of both the vendors and shoppers," assured Mayor Bartley.
SPEEDY WORK SCHEDULE
He says because the market is adequately lit, much of the paving of the facility and work on the sanitary conveniences, do not have to be restricted to daytime, but can be carried out at nights, to ensure that the repairs move at a rapid pace.
The decision to shut down Falmouth Market, the home of the island's biggest flea market, 'Ben Down', on Wednesdays, was taken last Thursday by the public health department, after health officials did a thorough inspection of the facility.
The closure of the market comes a week after an expired 30-day notice served on the parish council by the health department for the improvements to be effected.
Dr. Maung T. Aung, medical officer of health for Trelawny, says the conditions prevailing at the Falmouth Market make it unsafe for vendors and shoppers.
CAUSES OF THE PROBLEM
The Ministry of Health has noted the irregular collection of garbage, problems with the sanitary conveniences, stagnant puddles of water in vending areas, and the unsanitary state of the meat and fish units, clogged drains, and the lack of a perimeter fence, as areas of concern.
