Marsha Saunders packs Valentine gifts by her stall in Half-Way Tree, St Andrew, yesterday. Saunders said that sales were very slow. - Norman Grindley

Sections of the Corporate Area were lacking in sales yesterday despite it being Valentine's Day.

A drive through downtown Kingston, Cross Roads and Half-Way Tree, St Andrew, found very few people doing very little in the areas which in previous years were usually abuzz with activities on the 'day for lovers'.

financial pressures

Vendors explained that nothing much happened but said they understand the financial pressures people are facing.

"A di lover's day eno and usually people nuff pon di road a buy dem likkle basket and ting but nuttin nuh gwaan da year yah," said Mikey, a vendor on Half-Way Tree Road.

Other vendors echoed similar thoughts, some begging THE STAR team to make their purchase even though it was after 3 p.m. and they had been out since 8 a.m.

It was a similar case downtown where a number of vendors said things were 'slow'.

"Unnu nuh see say di country slow up, nobody nuh have nuh money fi spend pon dem ting ya agen ... Mi deh ya from morning and is jus one small basket me sell fi $700," a vendor said.

"It rough but wi can't even complain we jus a fi try cause di whole a we know seh dis recession ting a mash up everybody," another added.

One potential customer went as far as taking the money from his pocket but changed his mind at the last minute. When asked why the change of mind, he simply said he could not afford it.

"Me did really waa buy a ting fi mi girl eno but di funds low ... It nuh mek sense mi buy dis now and tomorrow morning me a dead fi hungry," he reasoned.