A resident of Brighton Street in St. Ann looks at salvaged belongings and what is left of a two-bedroom house which was completely destroyed by Hurricane Ivan. - RICARDO MAKYN/Staff Photographer
THERE WAS controlled chaos for the past two evenings in Kingston when residents of the area went on a mad rush to the numerous fast food establishments in the city, in an attempt (as one man put it) to 'break weh from di tin food' that Hurricane Ivan, and the power and water shortage associated with it, has made the meal of choice for many.
It was a race against time, as by 4 o'clock on Monday, many of the restaurants that had opened during the day closed their doors. About 5:30 p.m., a member of staff at the Burger King Restaurant on Bar-bican Road had to run out on to the street, hands waving and heads shaking, to inform the passengers in the line of vehicles that had formed, that the restaurant had closed.
The restaurant was jam-packed inside with those who were lucky enough to make it in time.
WATER SHORTAGE
A few minutes later at the KFC restaurant on Dominica Drive, the scene was similar. A female employee stood at the entrance of the building shouting to a crowd that had formed, "Due to water shortage, we have nothing ready at this time." This was met with a plethora of expletives. The crowd, realising that hope was diminishing, dashed up Knutsford Boulevard. People shouted out orders for friends to "Take one end, and mi will tek di next."
HUNGRY PATRONS FLOOD WENDY'S
In the end, Wendy's, the only restaurant that was still open, was flooded with hungry patrons. The line in the restaurant reached outside. Those in line, however, were just happy that they were on the verge of having a good, hot meal.
Yesterday, the situation was the same, as the Burger King restaurants at the Boulevard Supercentre and on King Street were extremely busy for the entire day. The restaurant supervisor at the Boulevard branch told The Gleaner that because of the large crowds, they would remain open longer than they had initially intended. This sentiment was shared by a number of other restaurant managers contacted yesterday.