A?woman?has had to dump $250 worth of vegetables after rats bit and ran over her produce in the new market at Palmetto Street, Bridgetown early yesterday morning.
Veteran vendor Gervis Forde told the DAILY?NATION she had to dispose of tomatoes, cucumbers and sweet peppers.
The 83-year-old wants those who supervise and manage the facility to put systems in place to keep out the rodents.
“This is tough to have to deal with rats, rats,” she told the DAILY NATION.
“There are others who have had food bitten by rats but they don’t say anything because they don’t want the market shut down. I don’t want it shut down, but the authorities will have to put down some poison.”
Forde said the rats were feasting on cucumbers, tomatoes and beans and she now planned to lock up most of her produce.
“Some of the others may not have had a problem because of where they are located. I am down in the back,” said Forde, who pointed to a hole she believes the rats have been squeezing through occasionally for the past two weeks.
Forde said the new market needed better ventilation, adding that there was no need for lights during the day.
“Heat from the lights burning up the food,” she complained.
Vendors Sylvia Nicholls and Elizabeth Rosemond, both of whom have stalls near the front of the complex, say they have had no issues in relation to rats.
All efforts to reach Superintendent of Markets Henderson Greaves yesterday for a comment proved futile.
