Mayor sends strong warning to HWT vendors

To 'tidy up' other vending areas in the city
Claudienne Edwards, Jamaica Observer
Thursday, November 13, 2008

KINGSTON Mayor Desmond McKenzie has warned vendors authorised to sell in Half-Way-Tree to play by the rules or have their licences permanently revoked.

"I have come to an understanding with the Half-Way-Tree vendors that if there is any breach and it is getting out of hand, I will rescind all vending licences permanently," McKenzie told Tuesday's council meeting.

Limited vending resumed around Mandela Park, Half-Way-Tree in mid-October, almost three weeks after the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC) suspended all forms of vending in the area and stopped collecting vending fees.

At the time the mayor likened the area to a "mini dump", saying that vendor population had quadrupled since the opening of the $4.3-billion Transport Centre in the area. The area, he said, had become a "nightmare" to members of the security forces and motorists.

The mayor told Tuesday's council meeting that there were restrictions on what could be sold where under the new arrangements.

He said only haberdashery goods can be sold on the Spencer James Road behind the park, while vendors in other areas around the park are allowed to sell newspapers and drinks.

"No cooking or stalls are allowed," McKenzie said.
He said that the KSAC and Digicel were finalising an agreement for the company to provide a "uniformed system of vending in Half-Way-Tree".

Meanwhile, the mayor said the KSAC will next begin to "tidy up" other vending areas in
St Andrew.

The KSAC, he said, will focus on bringing order to vending in Papine in front of the University Hospital of the West Indies while vending at Mannings Hill Road near Whitehall Avenue, and at Meadowbrook at Chancery would also come under scrutiny.

He, however, said the KSAC will meet with the vendors before making any changes in those areas.

"First we are going to meet with the vendors in a similar way to what transpired before the vendors at Cassava Piece were relocated to the Constant Spring market," McKenzie said.

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