Many people in south Trinidad seemed to have heeded the Prime Minister’s advice not to crowd around restaurants and roadside vendors when covid19 restrictions were loosened to let food outlets reopen from Monday.
There were no long lines at outlets in San Fernando.
Food vendors said they were happy to sell after almost three months of being shut down.
Hollis Robinson, who sells cheese, beef and fish pies and currants rolls near KFC at the top of High Street, said there had been few customers and sales were slow.
"It hardly has people around. Sales are not too good for me. This is not working out for me. Normally I am done by 7. 30 am. I cannot sayhow it is for other vendors," he said shortly before 9 am," Robinson said.
"It seems people got accustomed to cooking at home too. I am coming from Port of Spain, so I cannot leave there before 5 am."
[caption id="attachment_902033" align="alignnone" width="683"] A KFC, La Romaine employee heads out with a delivery. Photo by Lincoln Holder[/caption]
Owing to the 9 pm-5 am curfew is in effect, workers could not be on the road before 5 am.
Venezuelan Felix Jackson, who sells empanadas and pastels nearby, said he was happy to be selling again. He has been selling on the streets for the past two years.
Speaking in Spanish, Jackson told Newsdaysales were slower than expected.
"I live in Marabella, and I have my family to care for.
"I came here at 7 am. There are not many people in the streets, but I am taking it little by little," Jackson said.
[caption id="attachment_902034" align="alignnone" width="1024"] A customer purchase doubles from Bara Masters from Penal on LIbrary corner, San Fernando. Photo by Lincoln Holder[/caption]
At Penitence Street in San Fernando, workers at Ramdeo's Doubles were busy.
Speaking on their behalf, Khemchan Ramdeo said they came out around 7 am, and not 5 am, as they usually would have before the pandemic.
"It is really busy for us this morning. It was a rush because of the pandemic. We could not move about before 5 am."
Customers were spaced out.
Like other government officials, Dr Rowley has been urging the public to follow all covid guidelines to prevent the spread of the virus.
[caption id="attachment_902035" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Venezuelan national Felix Jackson sells empanadas on Library corner San Fernando as street food is once again allowed for sale. Photo by Lincoln Holder[/caption]
Staff from Bara Masters, based in Penal, began selling at Library Corner from 6 am. Vendors Michelle Boodoo and Vashti Premnath said they would have come out earlier had there been no curfew.
Apart from doubles, they were selling saheenas and aloo pies. They said sales were slower than usual.
"The streets do not have many people, and that is because many businesses, like stores, are still closed," Premnath said.
"There is no one hot seller. People are buying everything."
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