James: Back in business soon

James yesterday was at the site surveying damage with his insurance agent.

He said while the majority of his equipment and goods were destroyed, he intends to start over from scratch.

The company’s warehouse would be relocated and James is in the process of looking for a warehouse to rent.

The 45 displaced staff will also be looked after within the next few weeks. Management and staff held a meeting yesterday to discuss what could be done in the aftermath of the fire. The staff agreed to hold on for the time being, and when stocks are brought in from the docks, help would be needed to restock the warehouse.

While there is still goods on the docks, much has to be done before JMH could be operational again. James told Newsday that all his trucks were destroyed in the fire.

At about 8.30 pm on Sunday, James got a call from a fellow tenant at the Trincity Industrial Estate that smoke was billowing from one of his warehouses.

The fire spread to four warehouses, destroying stockpiles of rice, sugar, oil and saltfish.

Counter tops and other kitchen appliances were also destroyed in the fire. Dr Yunus Ibrahim of the Supermarket Association, yesterday said the nation’s rice supply remains steady despite the loss of JMH’s stocks, which accounted for almost half of all rice supplied to local supermarkets.

“We are aware that it is a market that would be in demand, especially now with the Divali holiday coming up, but the shortage that we would experience will only be minor,” Ibrahim said.