Service beyond the gates - Standpipe residents keeping visa applicants’ belongings safe

In the bustling Liguanea area, in St Andrew, across from the US Embassy, an unofficial system has flourished over decades, where locals are the guardians of trust for visa applicants' personal belongings.

With strict embassy policies barring most items, these service providers from Cedar Valley community, more popularly known as Standpipe, have built a reputation for safeguarding valuables, guiding applicants through security protocols, and offering some unexpected extras.

For 19 years, Simone Henry, known as Shelly, has been an integral player in this service network. With a steady flow of more than 200 customers every week, she has earned the trust and loyalty of countless individuals navigating the embassy's rigorous procedures.

For Shelly, this isn't just a side gig, it's her honest bread -- the very means by which she makes her living. Her approach is as distinctive as it is candid.

"First of all, everybody works different 'cause everybody have a different personality," she explains, underscoring the personalised touch each vendor brings.

Shelly's ticket system, bearing her name and phone number, ensures that every transaction is traceable, and every customer's trust is protected. As visa applicants step off taxis, buses or private transportation, Shelly greets them with a warm "Good morning," before asking if they have any personal items.

"Dem come off a di taxi or whichever vehicle and I say, 'Good morning, are you going inside the embassy? If them say yes, I ask if dem have nuh phone or anything. If dem say yes, mi tell them say mi can grant them a favour. Then me give dem a ticket for dem stuff," she said.

Her system isn't just about handling items, it's about building trust. In one memorable negotiation, a customer was taken aback when Shelly initially quoted a price of $3,500.

After a bit of back-and-forth, the price drop to $1,500.

"Yes sir, yuh come back and get back yuh things, and if one goods missing, everybody out here get inna problem and we affi pay fi it."

This pledge of accountability ensures that, should anything happen to a customer's belongings, the responsibility is collective.

The service providers offer much more than just secure storage. Visa applicants can find a resting chair, assistance with passport photos, help with parking logistics, and even pre-interview tips.

Shelly was seen reiterating the security protocol to applicants, "No knife no bomb, no acid, no fingernail clip, no thumb drive no food, no beverage allow inside; the only thing allowed inside is just yuh pen, papers and your wallet nothing else."

While these rules are issued by the US Embassy itself, Shelly makes it her duty to ensure applicants know them before they reach the gate.

Yet, she's quick to offer helpful advice when asked. "It depends if them ask yuh weh yuh feel like dem would ask and we just give them an idea."

Reflecting on how the market has evolved, Shelly explains that service cost has increased from $500 to keep one phone, to $2,500.

"If yuh give mi a thumb drive, mi take $1,000 or $1,500. If yuh give mi a earpiece is the same thing smartwatch a $2,000, we deal wid them real nice," Shelly said.