Fish vendors in a sticky spot

Nedburn Thaffe, Gleaner Writer

MANDEVILLE, Manchester:

WITH THE "embalming" affair still fresh on the lips of most Manchester residents, fish vendors in the usually congested Mandeville Market now have to endure more than their fair share of lazy days.

"It mash we up bad. Things not picking up at all," said Oral Fogah, who has been selling in the market for 13 years.

The "it" to which Fogah refers was last July's revelation that fish vendors in the market were using embalming chemicals (formaldehyde) to keep their fish fresh. Formaldehyde is used in funeral homes to preserve bodies for burial.

The revelation last year saw sales plummeting for most vendors as fish consumers in the parish stayed away from the market. The incident also sparked a major stand-off between the vendors and the Manchester Parish Council as vendors vented their disgust over how the affair was handled.