Christmas Eve is the last big push by business owners and vendors alike to attract last-minute shoppers in a Christmas season marked by slow sales and walking a tightrope to keep their doors open as late as possible while watching out for robberies.
Business owners complain that the last two days before Christmas cannot compensate for the dismal sales at the height of the Christmas season even with bargains band slashed prices. A High Street, San Fernando store owner said years ago his store was packed with shoppers, but yesterday there was free passage in his business place.
This year, however, there was the addition of a vendor on High Street selling the not so run-of-the-mill merchandise; wild meat.
The vendor was selling live crabs, manicou, quenk, a monkey and pups from local hunting dogs from his panel van.
When he saw a joint foot patrol of army and police personnel and a police wrecker approaching, he packed his living produce into his van and drove off.