- Carlington Wilmot/Freelance Photographer
Vendors hurry away with their goods after police and vendors clashed on West Queen Street after Prime Minister P.J. Patterson and Mayor of Kingston Desmond McKenzie toured sections of downtown Kingston on Tuesday.
Teino Evans, Staff Reporter
BUSINESS PEOPLE and consumers are rekindling the love affair they once had with downtown Kingston as a shopping district.
Since the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC) implemented the street-vending policy, moving hundreds of vendors from the streets and into arcades, business people and consumers have given thumbs up to the changes that have taken place.
The KSAC instituted a licensing system to control vending in designated areas in downtown Kingston and gave the vendors a December 6 deadline to register. When some vendors resisted this and threatened to disrupt business downtown, a tough-talking Mayor of Kingston, Councillor Desmond McKenzie, declaring that the KSAC would not bow to any pressure whatsoever, said they would not give up one more inch of the streets of the Corporate Area to vendors.
Now, business people like Mark Azan, owner of Azan's, are describing the changes as exceptional.
"Vending has been brought to a professional level, as they are now organised in UDC (Urban Development Corporation) buildings that they have rented," Mr. Azan said.
He commended the police and those vendors who have co-operated in making the transition without much conflict and confrontation. He also said that some persons, who had not been to downtown Kingston in more than five years, had returned as they now felt a sense of security and freedom. One woman, he said, who recently visited his store, said she had not been downtown for about seven years due to an incident where she accidentally hit the goods of one vendor who came close to assaulting her. This woman, Mr. Azan said, spent close to $7,000 in his store on this occasion.
POSITIVE IMPACTS
"The presence of the police and the absence of congestion on the roads have also had positive impacts on the level of crime in the area. I'm here 42 years and crime is at its lowest," Mr. Azan said. There were hardly any incidents of robbery, looting of delivery trucks and common assault, he said.
Carlene Reid, manager of Bashment Beauty Salon on Princess Street in Kingston, said she was happy for the change, because it has impacted positively on her business.
"Wi glad for the changes so far, because business really pick up," she said.
Ms. Reid said usually there were conflicts over customers, as persons who were vending on the streets illegally offered similar services to what she offered. Now, she says, "The surrounding environment is much better, you can walk an nuh bounce nobody things and they want to come cut you up for it."
Pamela Dennis, a supervisor at Mother's food chain restaurant, located at the corner of Orange and Beckford streets, said things were much better now. "When they (the vendors) were on the streets, not even the garbage truck could pass to collect the garbage. Now we don't have a problem."
Consumers support the arguments of the business people.
STREETS MUCH BETTER
Diane Brooks, who was in the midst of her shopping when The Sunday Gleaner talked to her last week, said, "The streets are much better now and more convenient. One time if yuh walk pon people tings a trouble."
Another consumer, M. Brown, added: "You can now walk freely without being harassed, even though it's Christmastime. Last year mi couldn't even find where fi walk."
The police are also happy with the turn of events so far. Sergeant Ilene McKenzie, one of the officers deployed on the streets of downtown Kingston, said: "The change has been tremendous, and persons have been passing and commenting positively on the changes."
Sergeant McKenzie, however, felt that there was some level of double standard, as some vendors were allowed to remain in the streets while others were removed. Also, the police complain that some store owners have allowed vendors safe haven when the authorities try to get them off the streets, but on the other hand, they say the owners do this out of fear
This, sergeant McKenzie said, has posed minor problems in getting other vendors to comply. "Even though things are going well for the most part, we still have the 'cat and mouse' with some vendors and the police," Sergeant McKenzie said.
If caught, Sergeant McKenzie said, they can be taken to court and charged with displaying goods for sale among various other offences.
When The Sunday Gleaner news team visited the downtown area last week, one of these illegal street vendors was overheard saying, "Bwoy police deh pon wi case like Matlock," while trying to make a quick sale on some extension cords for only $100.
VEHICLES FLOW FREELY
The thick traffic of motor vehicles, shoppers and vendors flowed much more freely compared to what persons have been accustomed to in downtown Kingston. The usual cramped situation where vendors took over the streets, sidewalk and store fronts, and where shoppers were prompted or forced to purchase items from unscrupulous vendors was absent. Shoppers were able to browse in stores and haberdasheries.
Mayor of Kingston, Desmond McKenzie, said he was pleased with the changes that have taken place so far.
"I am heartened by what I've seen, and there have been numerous telephone calls and letters coming into our office from citizens who have expressed their satisfaction with the changes," Mayor McKenzie said.
He also said that the Prime Minister's visit to sections of downtown last Tuesday, indicated the level of support that was being given by all. "What we are seeing is the working together of both private and political entities," he said.
Most of the relocated vendors, Mayor McKenzie said, were comfortable with their new locations, despite a few who, still, would rather be out in the streets. More than 3,000 vendors have been removed from the streets in downtown Kingston, and relocated into prescribed areas, the mayor said.
