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Shop operators at the Constant Spring Market say they are the ones feeling the full brunt of the market's imminent demolition.

When THE STAR visited the market yesterday, some shop owners were busy clearing out their shops. The look of frustration and defeat were evident on their faces.

Latoya, who owned and operated a grocery shop in the market for more than seven years, said that unlike the vendors, she has no clear path as to where to go.

"Vendors cudda relocate to Papine Market, or Cross Roads if dem want and if there is space there. But for shop owners, you have to go out there and look your own shop, because dem nuh have no space there fi we," she said.

She said she has been searching for a new place to relocate her shop to for months, but her search has been futile. "I've been looking mostly Constant Spring, Red Hills Road, Mannings Hill Road" she said.

"If we go Half-Way Tree, we cya pay dat rent, because normally, it's like $150,000 a month. I go down to Khemlani Mart down there and dem seh is US$800 a month. Dat is J$108,000 and we cya afford dat," she added.

She also pointed out that both vendors and shop operators were being given the same amount of compensation from the Government.

not extended

"All the stall people that sell ground provision, some a dem get more, dem a gi wi between $250,00 to $300,000," she said.

The Constant Spring Market is being demolished to facilitate the widening of Constant Spring Road as part of the Government's Major Infrastructural Development Programme.

The vendors were first given a March 18, 2018 eviction notice. But last June, the Supreme Court granted them a 14-day injunction, but this was not extended.

The vendors were last given an eviction notice for September 30, 2018. But a temporary injunction was granted on February 22.

The injunction was lifted on February 28. The vendors were then given until yesterday to evacuate the market.