IN AN attempt to ensure that street vendors do not hold the city of Kingston to ransom for yet another Christmas season, the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC) has promulgated a set of sensible rules which attempt to balance the need for civil order with the desire of the vendors to maximise their profits. These rules involve the payment of fees by them to operate in designated areas and their formal registration as authorised vendors no later than December 6. But, as usual, the infection of indiscipline is beginning to spread through the ranks of the vendors.
Robert Cover, general secretary of the United Vendors' Association (UVA) which represents some 5,000 vendors, is predicting disorder and social unrest. He is himself contributing to the problem by attacking the level of fees and pledging to resist what he refers to as the 'criminalisation' of vendors.
On the other hand, Mayor Desmond McKenzie, reading the mood of public opinion (correctly, we believe), is determined to enforce the regulations on a zero tolerance basis. We strongly support his position and urge all right-minded citizens to do the same. Too often in the past the vendors have called the bluff of the authorities and gotten away with it, thus reinforcing their intransigence. There are undoubtedly those who will seek to take political advantage of the situation by inflaming passions behind the scenes but we urge the Mayor to stand firm. It is imperative that he receives the full support of Central Government and we trust that the security forces, with sufficient time to prepare for all eventualities, will demonstrate once and for all that they can control the streets of Kingston.
Illegal vending is a subset of squatting which, for political reasons, has been allowed to get out of hand. But whereas there can be some emotional sympathy for poor people striving to provide themselves with basic shelter, vendors are in fact entrepreneurs whose prime motive is profit. Like all other businesses, they must play by the rules of commerce including where and when they can set up shop. They must pay reasonable fees for the privilege (not the right) to ply their trade.
Many vendors are much more affluent than they would make out to avoid paying taxes on their profits. Their wholesale capturing of the streets of downtown Kingston is an affront to law and order and a stop must be put to it once and for all. This will call for a mix of force and tact but unless the authorities prevail the city will fall victim to incremental chaos.
THE OPINIONS ON THIS PAGE, EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE, DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GLEANER.
