Constant Spring Market vendors given until September 30 to leave, protest evictions

Vendors at the Constant Spring Market in St Andrew are adamant that the government is against “poor people” after officially learning that they have little over a month left in the space.

This morning, the more than 70 vendors were each issued with eviction notices by the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC).

They have up to September 30 to leave.

The upset vendors mounted a demonstration to protest the evictions.

The KSAMC revealed last year that the market is to be sold to facilitate the expansion of Constant Spring Road.

“We have sense, we know that development must take place but we have to eat and they have not been telling us anything in relation to relocation and I think there’s enough space around the back to accommodate us. [It] is almost like they have a deliberate intent to get poor people out the system,” said Patrick, proprietor of Patrick’s tailoring in the market.

Bar owner and operator Kameka Livingston shared Patrick’s view arguing that the road expansion project is being used as a ploy to take the land.

“The land space is very big so, if they even take the market there’s a lot of space at the back that we can still use but they’re using the road as an excuse to take the land from us. They’re not putting us anywhere, they’re not trying to negotiate with us, we don’t see the Member of Parliament and we don’t see the councillor,” she asserted.

"They're not giving us any options, is like a bullying thing, they're bullying us. People on Red Hills Road who were illegal got a nice little market, people on Ferry who were illegal got a nice market and we are legal and they are throwing us out on the street, to do what?," she lamented.

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