ST MARY, Jamaica — Small business operators in sections of South East St Mary are this morning reporting brisk sales with the influx of voters in the various rural communities.

Karen Watt, shopkeeper at ‘One stop Nyammings’ in Friendship Gap was busy filling orders as she told the OBSERVER ONLINE  that business was “going good”.

“Monday is normally a busy morning, but we have a lot more coming in this morning because of the Electoral Office across the road,” she explained.

The polling station is located in the centre of the Friendship Gap square on premises just across from Watt’s shop.

However, despite the bump in sales elsewhere, another St Mary shop worker, Joy Smith, at the popular Oriental Fried Chicken said they have “not been getting much people, but we’re expecting more later on.”

She added that the bar at the location is not normally opened on Election Day.

“People not to drink liquor on Election Day because they will make fuss,” she reasoned.

Meanwhile, most business places in the vicinity of the Annotto Bay All Age School Polling Station were closed.

Voting has started in all four political divisions of Castleton, Richmond, Annotto Bay, and Belfield in the South East St Mary constituency.

Voters will today determine whether People’s National Party’s (PNP) Shane Alexis or Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Norman Dunn will serve them as a Member of Parliament.

Deandra Morrison