By Leon Jackson
Some time ago I observed that the expansion of the market in Falmouth, Trelawny had reached the end of Market Street, just under the hi-way bridge leading to Wakefield and Martha Brae from Falmouth.
Memory tells me that the first stall was that of a newspaper vendor. It mushroomed into an open back pick-up selling fruits, then a tool shop. Back then I was scared that sooner rather than later, with the view of drivers coming from Hague being blocked, it would be only a matter of time before there was an accident.
That time came on Thursday September 25, 2014, as you will see from the picture above.
At the last Parish Council meeting, in September, the Mayor of Falmouth Councillor Garth Wilkinson welcomed me to the meeting and referred to the article I wrote. He went on to explain that it would not continue. At a meeting of the Governor General and Justices of the Peace in Trelawny, the Mayor was informed about the market under the bridge and he expressed surprise about it. It was hard to hear him expressing surprise and not say anything about it, but I displayed a sense of restraint and did not say anything.
It is my opinion that the Municipal Police run the Council where their section of duty is concerned. One moment they are running food vendors from Water Square, another moment they are issuing traffic tickets, for which, according to the Mayor they were given this right by a certain Act of Parliament.
However, back to the market under the bridge. Neither the Mayor nor the Revenue Service Manager Mr Malcolm can say they have no knowledge of it. I saw Mr Malcolm driving a brown Prado coming from the Hague section and stopping at the sign. His vehicle crawled out into the road where he could see if there was any oncoming vehicle, and when there was none he drove by the market and went on towards Falmouth. At the time of writing nothing has been done to remove the danger being posed by the newly established market. The operators have gone further, and have constructed seating for patrons who, after buying their fruits etc may sit and refresh themselves.
It is no secret that whenever I am seen walking around Falmouth I have a camera on me. I will be on the lookout for the opportunity on the Municipal Police men and women dealing as they should with vendors who try to move the market from its usual place to the street by the fire station, plus more for photo opportunities.
The Mayor is proud to show improvements to the Burwood site. Thank you, Mayor Wilkinson. Hope you remember your promise that it will not go into private hands. Then too you were observant enough to remark that JPs have died and migrated, yet the present Custos Muschette is still exhibiting his morbid fear of installing any new Justices. Of course there are those JPs who continue to make excuses for him even though he has been in office going four years now.
Since we last checked, the market has not opened for a number of days. Neither has the parts shop. Congratulations are in order for all persons involved. I noticed that the entrance to the dumping area by the mangrove on the end of Market Street has been blocked and no more dumping has taken place for a while.
