Iguana Street vendors bond to promote unity, make money
The C in Christmas isn’t meant to symbolize capitalism but around this time every year, entrepreneurs and business owners alike come up with creative marketing techniques to separate you from your cash. But according the residents of one Belize City community, their goal is to show the rest of the country how a little innovation and diversity can promote unity. Marion Ali reports.
Marion Ali, Reporting
With their homemade goods neatly set out in front of their yards, the ladies of Iguana Street continue to show off their wares to passing customers.
Elizabeth Howard, Seamstress, Arts & Craft
“I mainly do sewing and then I do a little bit of craft work, but mostly sewing. And the sewing entitles uniforms, cushions, bed sets, curtains, household everything things.”
Marion Ali
“I see you’re working on a big piece there, what’s that?”
Elizabeth Howard
“That’s a comforter, and it’s being sewn on hand, it’s completely handwork right now. I already did the back for it, now I’m putting in the lines.”
While sewing is Elizabeth Howard’s forte, Erna Jones’ specialty is in cake making and decorating.
Erna Jones, Caterer, Decorator
“We have our cakes and decorations and I also do chair rentals and things like that, weddings, whatever, in line of decoration or any parties, that is my hobby.”
Marion Ali
“Now there’s a special twist to what you do because you say you take recycled stuff to make your decorations?”
Erna Jones
“Yes I do. I add a little bit of new things but I use recycled stuff, like the centrepiece for the Christmas tree, somebody would say their Christmas tree is not good. I would tell them give me, you give me the Christmas tree and when I get the Christmas tree what I do is I get some foam that somebody throw away from the shop and I would be there and bend it and make something good out of it.”
Down the street, Ethel Nicholas sells food and pastries and also has a small clothing and textile shop.
Ethel Nicholas
“I do catering, cook dinner, and sell clothes and makes some nice coconut tarts.”
Marion Ali
“You do this on a daily basis?”
Ethel Nicholas
“Yes, every day.”
Marion Ali
“How the business?”
Ethel Nicholas
“It’s not too bad and I have people everyday come in come buy weh di look fi local food.”
Marion Ali
“But you want to raise it to another level?”
Ethel Nicholas
“Yes, that’s why we’re making this little advertisement, so that people could know we are in the area and that’s what we do.”
According to organizers, the idea is to attempt to uplift the neighbourhood’s bad reputation.
Erna Jones
“I was sitting one day, me and my daughter, and we talk about bring light to our community. We are here and nobody knows that I do catering or decorations. The neighbour over there sews a lot and does things with her hands, somebody down the street sell clothes, the guys over here do dancing and spray painting, the mechanic shop is here. And right down the line you can see somebody with business and talent within them and it’s time that people know that Iguana Street or south side there are people in the south side that are blessed from God.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Marion Ali.
Iguana Street shopping stretches from the junction at Central American Boulevard down to Elston Kerr Street.
