Several store owners and vendors in downtown Kingston are claiming staggering losses since the announcement of the signing of the extradition request for Christopher 'Dudus' Coke.

The business operators and vendors said they have suffered depressed sales since Monday, with one person even claiming a 90 per cent reduction.

"Nutten nuh gwaan down deh. Wi nuh get fi do no business down deh. Wi haffi pack up back 'cause nobody nah risk dem life because a wah di media seh," one operator said.

The shoe vendor said: "It mash up business bad. It a guh tek a long while fi pick up back. Wi lose 90 per cent a wi sales. Mi a sell down ya 'bout 15 years now and all when war and something a gwaan mi neva see nobody nuh down ya so."

A wholesale operator told THE WEEKEND STAR he has been experiencing a 60 per cent loss. He said that since Monday, far less persons have come downtown.

"On a Tuesday or Wednesday, which is usually a slow day, I could make $15,000, however, since Monday, I could only make $7,000. Most of my clients are afraid to come downtown since the issue," he said.

Another woman, who runs a liquor store, said she has been suffering dramatic loses. "Business has been really slow, I am making a loss, in a nutshell I have made a 50 per cent loss since the issue. Normally, I could make $50,000 on a regular day, however, things are not the same," she said.

Another liquor store owner, however, shared a different view, indicating things have not changed for him since Monday. He said everything has been great and he has not experienced any change.

"Business a run man, things a improve, nuh body nah badda mi, everything smooth. The only problem is things a get tight and nuh money nah run 'cause people a lose dem work cause a di recession," he said.

When contacted by THE WEEKEND STAR, Milton Samuda, president of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce, also said that he has not received any complaints from his members. "Things are more or less back to normal," he said.

He said a few places had shut their doors early yesterday, but attributed that to the march conducted by residents of Tivoli Gardens.

Samuda said: "Even though the mood and the situation is tense", he hoped people would now be able to go about their normal business.