State-of-the-art facility to replace Old Shoes Market in St. James

By Racquel Porter   

 

Mayor of Montego Bay Richard Vernon says the St. James Municipal Corporation has devised a plan to create a state-of-the-art market following another fire at the Old Shoes Market.

 

Fire gutted the facility on Wednesday, less than a year after shops were destroyed in a blaze.

 

Mayor Vernon is asking for patience with the process of establishing a new market.

 

"We presented the design that we wanted to realise in this space.  Actually, now there are two designs, and we need to select one and to finalise the funding and start the process," he said, promising to meet later this week with a team from the Urban Development Corporation, the member of Parliament and Deputy Prime Minister to have further discussions regarding the space. 

 

"It needs upgrading; it cannot continue as is," the mayor said of the market. "It is unregulated from electrical works, to the occupancy of the shops, to everything here, and we need to move swiftly. We have been trying. We have met with the persons here on several occasions, and we have had discussions to the effect that we agree on where we should go forward in terms of direction."