Nicholas Richards, Gleaner Writer
This female resident of Taylor Land in Bull Bay, St Andrew sits down on the rubble which has covered most of the houses in the community after the rains from Hurricane Dennis on Monday July 11, 2005. Hurricanes Dennis and Emily caused extensive damage in a small number of communities. - RICARDO MAKYN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
HARDWARE MERCHANTS are reporting little change in their business despite the disruptive weather caused by the two hurricanes last month.
A comparative analysis of sales from the Ace Hardware group of stores based in the United States, reveals that "homeowners bracing for hurricane arrival[s] have generated sales volume of emergency items at record levels," according to Ace Corp Hardware chain in Florida.
For most Jamaican merchants however, "business has been really flat," said Michael Brooks, chairman of the Hardware Merchants' Association (HMA).
"We have seen no appreciation in sales so far ... even after 'Dennis' and 'Emily'," he said. "This is due to the fact that most of the damage was to civil infrastructure and therefore would not have had any significant impact on overall sales especially where the rebuilding process is concerned".
While the sale of items such as lanterns, flashlights and batteries before the hurricane, and lumber, shingles and plywood used for re-building showed some increase, Mr. Brooks said, "These were not significant when the overall figures were tabulated."
SOME BENEFITS
While many are pondering over stagnant sales, the Rapid Sheffield Hardware in Montego-Bay is just one of a handful of stores which have recorded good business.
According to Celia Hart, assistant manager of the store, "Business went up especially in response to the approach of Hurricane Dennis, as people sought to take the necessary precautions."
"Items such as batteries, flashlights, oil and fluorescent lamps were the main items sold," she said. In fact, the store ran out of these items.
Another hardware merchant, Clester Myrie, manager of Big 'M' Hardware in Savanna-la-Mar, though not seeing much change in overall sales during this hurricane season, also said that there was a rise in the sale of these same items.
Contrastingly, Mr. Myrie pointed out that business only started to improve after the passage of the hurricanes, when people sought to rebuild their homes. Most of these items were, zinc and wire, nails, tarpaulins and flashlights.
"For the most part, business remains slow, but tends to pick up a little just before, but especially after the hurricanes," Mr. Myrie said.
Mrs. Winsome Kirlew of Negril Hardware and Haberdashery, expressed similar sentiments concerning the rebuilding process.
"After 'Ivan', business really went up," she said. "Items like shingles, zinc sheets, and nails were at one point impossible to get. However, it was not so good as we expected during 'Dennis' and 'Emily' ... because the storms came so close to each other."
Hardware merchants in the corporate area found that business has not been as robust as they thought it would be.
"We do not have any concrete figures to show where we have fallen off or where sales have improved, but overall, there has not been any significant changes worth talking about," said Mr. Brooks.
