Is the Michael Finnegan Market Closing its Gates? Not So Says CitCo!
Reports surfaced this morning that the Michael Finnegan Market was closing down. The information online suggested that vendors were all leaving at midday because the market would be shutting down. Well, the long and short of it is that the market is not being closed but many vendors are closing their stalls and going home. We went out to the market this morning to find out more and there we met vendors who were making preparations to close and others who say that they will remain open for business. Here’s that report.
Andrea Polanco, Reporting
Several stalls have closed down inside Michael Finnegan Market in Belize City and more are expected to follow in the days to come. The vendors have gone home because of the threat of the COVID-19. Today when we stopped by, there was light foot traffic. Buyers were looking for fresh fruits and vegetables – but many of the baskets and boxes were already empty and shops and stalls locked up. For one vendor, Hoel Castaneda, the access to fresh produce is the problem because farmers from out district are not coming to the city to sell anymore.
Hoel Castaneda, Vendor
“The farmers don’t want to come to the city and if they don’t supply us we will be selling what we have and shut down. Whatever we have when that done we will just close down.”
Hoel Castaneda
Andrea Polanco
“How unu wah manage now? Unu the close down and you nuh know when unu wah open back?”
Hoel Castaneda
“No we nuh have no idea and for our safety we prefer to stay home.”
Andrea Polanco
“I would imagine it would be rough as to not be able to make your money, as well?”
Hoel Castaneda
“Yes, it’s true but the government is not giving us no option. We talk to the City Council, the managers and they don’t give us no advice on what to do so we are taking it on our own to close down.”
Andrea Polanco
“How business look this morning – are people rushing to buy?”
Hoel Castaneda
“From Saturday it hectic – from Saturday to now it is hectic. People are looking for stuff – they are looking for carrots, lime, ginger and orange and there is nothing in the market; everything finish.”
We attempted to get some answers from the Belize City Council about what’s being done to engage the farmers who supply vendors inside and what measures are being put in place to ensure that crowds don’t gather inside the market but the PR Department declined an interview. They later sent out this notice to say that the market remains open on a “day-to-day basis”. One vendor says that he will keep his shop open because he serves customers he refers to as “everyday buyers” – and he says a closure will affect these consumers.
Mista P
Mista P, Vendor
“The reason why we are open is because the market itself is open and we do not have that fear about the corona virus. All we need to do is to take precautionary measures. You keep your distance as they suggest and you wear your mask whoever wants to wear the mask and you carry on smartly. The point now that we request is you have the market close they have people it will affect badly because you have everyday buyers who nuh have no refrigerator at their house and they save their lee token to buy each and every day. Because if they buy bulk and save it up the rat might go eat out their products so they nuh wah have nothing else to eat. So they can’t got nothing else to feed their pickney National Tree Chicken Shop wah open. Booth number eighteen Michael Finnegan Market.”
Another vendor who plans to keep her shop open for as long as she is allowed to is Rosita Rivero of Indira’s Spice Shop. She says that the past couple days were busy but today things slowed down.
Rosita Rivero, Owner, Indira’s Spice
“I gwein as full as the government say close down – then I will close down. My people in Belize need me and I am here to serve them.”
Andrea Polanco
“Now, are there any concerns for you as it relates to the virus and what kind of precautions are you taking here at the shop?”
Rosita Rivero
Rosita Rivero
“We are taking precautions; so we are washing our hands; wearing our gloves and our masks. We have a lotta bittaz that can help them from way back we used to use it in the malaria days; we use a lotta cerasee, jackass bitters, and lotta things that could help the people in Belize. And the cayenne pepper mix with apple cider vinegar. The Belizean people are looking for the spices also to cook.”
Andrea Polanco
“What has business been like for you – are people buying or things slow?”
Rosita Rivero
“From Saturday we been having a hectic time and from today it is going slow but we are here to serve the people of Belize.”
If you’re wondering where you will get fresh meats – some meat vendors remain open inside the Michael Finnega Market. Jun’s Meat Shop was open for business today and says that they will keep open to serve the public but are mindful of the preventative measures.
Russell Reyes, Employee, Jun’s Meat Shop
“We nuh really the close yet. We just the serve people from outside from the windows to protect fi we self and so. But the way the market look right now, everything look dead. Nothing the happen and nothing the sell. So, I nuh know we might call off this but we just have to wait to hear weh the minister or somebody have to say.”
Russell Reyes
Andrea Polanco
“How long unu plan to stay open?”
Russell Reyes
“Well, on my behalf I mi say this would be my last day to come to work but I nuh know. If things get more serious then my safety first.”
Reporting for News Five, I’m Andrea Polanco.
