A POTENTIALLY explosive situation looms in downtown Kingston as the December 6 deadline set by the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC) for street vendors to register draws nigh.
"The vendors are restive. The way things are set up now, it will lead to public disorder," Robert Cover, general secretary of the United Vendors' Association (UVA), said.
"The Mayor is talking too tough, the authorities are planning to use heavy-handed policing ... the fees are oppressive and unrealistic for seasonal vendors in particular, and add to that the pressure of the Christmas season... this can be an explosive situation."
The United Vendors' Association represents about 5,000 of the 10,000 vendors who sell their wares on the streets of the business district of downtown Kingston.
NEW REGISTRATION FEE
"This new registration fee will affect the livelihood of 36 per cent of all vendors. They cannot pay, their stocks don't even value $2,500 (each) now. And there are elements who are not planning to co-operate with any attempts to 'criminalise' vendors, and in some cases, the tension has taken on a political slant," Mr. Cover said.
Dunstan Whittingham, general secretary of the Jamaica Vendors, Higglers and Markets Association (JVHMA), while not agreeing with the UVA's position on 'oppressive fees', said there was growing tension in particular areas of the commercial district.
"There is a little animosity and tension in certain areas. A request went in on October 10 in the form a joint communiqué from both vendors' associations which asked in a resolution that a number of streets be ratified and included as additional areas, but it was not granted," Mr. Whittingham said.
The areas in contention include Peter's Lane from South Parade to Barry Street; Luke Lane, from West Queen Street to Barry Street; lower Luke Lane, below Beckford Street to Barry Street, and lower Matthews Lane and Beckford Street to Barry Street. According to some estimates, the vendors in the area number from 500 to 600 during peak hours.
"When the vendors were first moved off Beckford Street, they moved into those areas, and now they are being told that they cannot sell in them after December 6. We are willing to work with the authorities who have concerns about security and the free flow of traffic but they cannot satisfy one set of people while excluding others," Mr. Whittingham said.
"We are supporting the programme of change; we will not jump to any conclusion right now. The KSAC has one Council meeting left to ratify that area. If they will make concession, or if they will stick to their guns, we will wait and see," Mr. Whittingham said.
On Saturday night, Councillor Desmond McKenzie, Mayor of Kingston, warned downtown Kingston's street vendors that after the registration deadline of December 6, the KSAC would exercise zero tolerance in terms of vending in non-prescribed areas.
"This KSAC administration will not give up one more inch of the streets of the Corporate Area to vendors. We will not bow to any pressure, whatsoever... zero tolerance will be the order of the day," Mayor McKenzie was reported as saying.
