Councillor concerned about overrun by vendors in Junction
Published:Monday | September 16, 2024 | 12:06 AMAsha Wilks/Gleaner Writer
Councillor of the Junction division in St Elizabeth, Cetany Holness, has raised concern that the parish’s townships are being overrun by vendors.
“The towns [are] in a mess, especially Junction,” he said while addressing the St Elizabeth Municipal Corporation (StEMC) last Thursday.
Speaking with The Gleaner following the conclusion of the monthly meeting, Holness stated that he was “extremely concerned about the vending situation right across the parish”.
He went on to say that, although Santa Cruz and Black River were affected, Junction was in a worse predicament.
“In the Junction division where I am the councillor, it is most unfortunate to see the amount of vendors, especially vendors from other parishes, that saw Junction as a safe haven [to sell goods],” he said.
Holness, who serves as the chairman of commercial services within the corporation, said people have been parking their vehicles on sidewalks, in front of establishments like supermarkets and wholesales, and along roadways to sell goods from out of their trunks.
“People open the back of their vehicle, tek out dem banana and yam and put it down onto the road and it is getting extremely bad. The business people are complaining that whenever customers come to purchase things at their business place, they can’t get inside and this is an extremely bad situation there at Junction,” he told The Gleaner.
The Donald Horne Market, which is located in the vicinity of Junction square, has been left largely deserted as a result with only four vendors utilising it, Holness said.
“We have been talking to the vendors. Myself and the other councillors and the mayor toured the town of Junction and we have been engaging the vendors to tell them that we are expecting them to go into the market,” he added.
He further mentioned that the Junction market is one of the largest in the parish and that, just lately, a few million dollars were put into making sure the restrooms are operational. In addition, repainting, cleaning, and repair work on the parking lot were completed.
Speaking during the StEMC meeting, Holness announced that at the municipal corporation level, a decision was taken at the last commercial service committee meeting that ‘No Vending’ signs would be erected within the town, except at the market area.
“The police have been carrying out operation in other parishes, so what I am doing now is to engage the police to carry out operation in St Elizabeth and mainly Junction,” he told The Gleaner.
During the municipal meeting, Holness said he and the municipal corporation were willing to work together “to get this matter under control” and asked Superintendent Coleridge Minto, the head of the St Elizabeth Police, to make himself available for an “urgent meeting” with the StEMC to discuss a course of action.
In responding the Holness, Minto stated, “We stand ready.”
He added that the police were aware of the vending concerns and that he was looking forward to participating in the upcoming discussions regarding the issue and the necessary enforcements.