By Petulia Clarke, Staff ReporterKINGSTON AND St. Andrew Corporation councillors yesterday expressed concern at what they said was the poor state of security at the KSAC's offices, 24 Church Street, downtown Kingston.
The concerns were raised against the background of recent threats made on the lives of Errol Greene, the Town Clerk, and Lincoln Evans, the City Treasurer.
Councillors at yesterday's council meeting said that disgruntled persons conducting business at the KSAC's offices were able to walk in freely, and anyone with 'cruel intent' could easily walk upstairs to the Town Clerk's office.
CONTINUE REGULARISING
Councillor Neville Ashman raised the concerns after statements from others urging the Town Clerk to continue regularising the city despite the threats.
Councillor Ashman asked that the physical layout at the front of the building be re-organised to allow for buzzers at the doors and security screening of all visitors.
"Lots of disgruntled persons come in to do business and anyone can just walk past security (as) people are allowed to come in unchecked," he said.
Mr. Greene and Mr. Evans were warned last week that there were contracts on their lives. Mr. Greene told The Gleaner earlier that persons were saying that they were unhappy that the KSAC was "boxing bread out of their mouths" and they (Mr. Evans and himself), should be got rid of.
Sources told The Gleaner then that the threats resulted from matters relating to the removal of vendors from the streets of downtown Kingston a few weeks ago and a bid to get unofficial operators to regularise their security businesses.
FORMALISE SECURITY
The KSAC recently began implementing plans to formalise security at the markets. The Gleaner was told that the death threats have been made on both men because of 'persons' displeasure at the possibility of losing lucrative 'unofficial contracts'. Anger at the KSAC's decision to clean-up the Jubilee market without the input of some groups is believed to be another cause for the threats.
Yesterday Mayor Marie Atkins assured the councillors that precautions ensuring the safety of the Town Clerk and the City Treasurer were in place, and urged them to continue executing their duties without fear or favour.
"We should send a very strong message to those who are hell-bent on creating disorder and anarchy that we will not support them," Mayor Atkins said.
