Residents of Morant Bay Welcome Market Pop-Up

The Ministry of Health and Wellness, in partnership with the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), hosted a market pop-up at the Morant Bay market in St. Thomas on Friday (February 10).

Residents, while they shopped for fruits, vegetables, and meat, were treated to samples of healthy meals, prizes and giveaways, health talks, dance activities and vibrant displays of useful information to help them lead healthier lives.

Speaking with JIS News, State Minister in the Ministry, Hon. Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn said she loved the idea of a pop-up market.

“What better place to really show how we should eat than in a market. This is a wonderful initiative to get persons who are actually shopping in the market, to understand the different food groups,” she stated.

Mrs. Cuthbert-Flynn noted that the initiative was also used to spread the importance of physical activity, in keeping non-communicable diseases at bay.

She further informed that Jamaicans in other parishes should expect more pop-ups this year in markets close to them, noting that, “we’re not going to stop here.”

For his part, Medical Officer of Health for St. Thomas, Dr. D’Oyen Smith, disclosed that he was pleased to see the first market pop-up of the year taken to Morant Bay.

“The entire parish, 100,000 people, come into the market, so it’s an opportunity to come out here and show them healthy ways of living,” Dr. Smith stated.

The Medical Officer noted that he observed “an excitement” among the residents throughout the day, one that “we want to continue, because a number of persons are seeing ways of preparing alternate, tasty food and easy activities they can do around the yard, so we hope that they continue”.

Shoppers and vendors inside the busy market, with whom JIS News interacted, shared that they learned vital information from the day’s activities and were excited about putting this into action.

In addition, the residents enjoyed the interesting recipe ideas shared by RADA, utilizing the foods they already know and enjoy.

Overwhelmingly, the crowd favourite was the callaloo and cheese-infused yam balls, which had the residents all talking.

“I am willing to go home and try the yam recipe, it is interesting,” vendor, Kaycia Graham, disclosed, while adding that, “I learned a lot today about the food groups and different vegetables”.

Similarly, Roslinda Leslie, a shopper, told JIS News that, “I am enjoying this event, especially learning about the different things you are to eat and not to eat. I learned about a new way to enjoy yam, and I am very much interested in that”.