No poverty in Poor Man’s Corner

To some, the name Poor Man's Corner may suggest a hangout for the impoverished, but for the people who live or traverse this bustling area in Yallahs, St Thomas, it is anything but destitute.

This small community has developed into a busy commercial centre, with more business places than residences. The square, which is also used as a taxi stand for neighbouring communities, can be seen as vastly populated, with people on-the-go at any time of the day.

Though the area is well known, residents and business operators admitted that they are not sure where the community got its name.

"I don't know how it got its name but when I came here in the '70s to live with my stepmother, we were the only building on this side of 'the corner'. All those buildings that you seeing now were dildo cactus and makka tree, while on the other side you had the Logue's and a few other buildings," said business woman and resident Beverly Graham.

Sharing a story her stepmother had shared with her, she said, "She told me that the night when here opened, the people said 'This is no longer Poor Man's Corner, this is Rich Man's Corner.' They had said that because of the new building, and the buzzing of people coming in to the space as it was the first bar in the area."

Graham admitted that while there are those who find the name of the community to be strange, she doesn't believe that a negative stigma is attached to it.

A vendor in the area, who gave her name only as Miss Christie, told THE WEEKEND STAR that she is proud to be associated with Poor Man's Corner.

"When we travel anywhere and tell people where we come from, people usually create excitement, but we are not afraid of the name because nobody who lives in the Corner is poor."

Sharing her speculation on where the name came from, she said, "One time over by the bar they used to sell The Gleaner, and one somebody with money would buy a copy and read it, while the rest of people who have no money to buy would sit round and listen ... so maybe a that's why dem call it suh."

Another nearby vendor, obviously displeased with the community's name, interjected.

"The place is not no Poor Man's Corner. Is Four Man's Corner it name and people get it wrong and spoil it up. Four man alone own the whole area and a suh Four Man's Corner come by," he said. However, his submission was quickly shut down by Christie and others.

"A poor house used to deh right down the road too weh Parish Council used to carry homeless people to... so maybe a that's why. Whatever it is, we nuh shame of the name cause no poor people nuh deh again a Poor Man's Corner. Look at the amount of cars round the place, you would still call it Poor Man's Corner?" Christie asked.