A section of the Linstead Market. - Elgin Taylor

The pulse of the financial temperature in Linstead and its environs can usually be measured by the activities that take place in its famous market. This was confirmed when The Star visited the rural town recently.

There was an abundance of vendors with their well-laid out stalls of ground provisions of all descriptions, clothing and footwear. However, what was missing was the usual flurry of buyers.

"Bwoy, a famine dis upon the land," exclaimed a dreadlocks seller of ground provisions who refused to give his name.

less money

David 'Beezie' Fisher, another ground provision vendor, described sales as being at a standstill.

"Things are really tough," noted Fisher, adding that the closure of the nearby Windalco Bauxite Company, which is a casualty of the global recession, has left people with less money. As a result, he said, vendors have to cut their prices.

He said previously it took up to $120 to buy a pound of sweet peppers, now it has dropped to a low of $70. Cabbage used to fetch $80 per pound, now it goes for $60. Similarly, Irish potatoes used to be sold for $50 per pound, now the going price is $40.

Clothing and footwear vendor Karen Walker, of Kingston, described the situation as being slow at times. She said that she found it challenging as she has three children attending high schools.

Elsewhere in the town, the merchants were experiencing a similar situation. This was the case at Linstead Book and Variety Store and the Livestock Association Store. However, the latter, which sells mainly garden and building materials, reported that so far the effect on its business has been minimal.