With Christmas just a few days away, pedestrians and motorists are flooding the streets of Port-of-Spain and Chaguanas but most people are just window shopping.
President of the Downtown Owners and Merchants Association (Doma) Gregory Aboud said several factors have created a downward pressure on the sale performance of Port-of-Spain.
“Some of those pressures are nationwide and related to the current economic climate. Unfortunately for Port-of-Spain there are some specific unique pressures which we face, which are related only to us,” he said.
Aboud said the tragic story of Charlotte Street and the horrible loss of life of Shannon Banfield is one of those specific cases of pressure.
“That has hurt us this December. Other policy matters include the wilful blind eye of the City Police to violations of many of the city codes and of course the ironic and destructive actions which are preying on the city customers,” he said.
He said this negativity and the tragedy of the loss of Banfield has brought a special dark cloud not only to the city but the entire country.
“And we stand powerlessly on the sidelines hoping and praying for justice and resolution to this case. Ms Banfield did not lose her life on a lonely side street or some trace in a remote location. She lost her life within the precinct of an operational business on a supposedly main street of the capital city and we see no reason why this crime should not be solved,” he said.
Aboud said having regard to all of these factors, Port-of-Spain was still holding its own mainly because of its competitiveness and because of several flagship operations of key retailers still present in the city.
“We are hopeful that the new mayor will recognise the need for improved policies that give city businesses an equal opportunity and that the future of Port-of-Spain remains squarely on the shoulders of a healthy commercial environment free of many of the old problems that have been choking the life out of Port-of-Spain,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chaguanas Chamber vice-president Vishnu Charran said Chaguanaswas busy.
“There is a lot of people and traffic but a lot of businesses say that sales were not as good as the previous year. I guess the cause of the recession and uncertainty of what is taking place in the coming year,” he said.
Charran said there were a lot of construction companies that sent home workers and retrenched.
“Generally, several distributors said the retailers are not stocking the volumes they use to. There is a lot of traffic and people looking around. It does not amount to retail sales and cash flowing and there are restrictions in what people are spending. There has been a reduction in the volume of trade overall,” he said.
Vendors along the Southern and Chaguanas Main Road had mixed reactions to the sales.
Marissa Benny, a vendor along the Southern Main Road, said that sales were not good.
Benny sold weaves and weave stands.
“I am only here for awhile but it is not good. People coming around and asking the price,” she said.
Roland Boodram, a vendor who sold colourful bags and shaving kits, said sales were at a normal pace.
“We running normal. I not on the main road so I don’t have a problem. I out of that,” he said.
Boodram said his bags ranged from $125 downward.