St James: No street vending in MoBay

The St James Parish Council is insisting that there will be no vending on the streets of downtown Montego Bay, St James, throughout the Christmas period.

Chairman of the council, Montego Bay Mayor Glendon Harris, says it will not be relaxing the no-vending rules, after vendors took advantage of the leeway given to them in the previous festive season.

"Last year, we went out on a limb to accommodate the vendors and give them space and they went overboard," Harris told The Sunday Gleaner.

"Even at the (Montego Bay) Civic Centre they took over, hanging things there. So we are not into that this year. We are not collecting from none of them so nobody have any permission to vend on the streets," added Harris.

He said the parish council would be focusing on the various spruce-up works, particularly the sidewalk project that is ongoing in the city.

"If you come to Sam Sharpe Square you will see them working on the North Lane sidewalk and one by the City Centre. We will be dealing with the Coral Wall sidewalk as well," said Harris.

Work has also resumed on the city's clock tower, which Harris had announced is to be repaired and a new clock purchased at a cost of US$23,000.

Police out

According to Harris, the police will be out in the town in their numbers over the Christmas shopping period, and there will be widespread surveillance and monitoring across the town.

He said the anti-litter wardens recently deployed in the town would be increased, as the council is trying to recruit four more persons to add to the present four-man team.

"We want to get them mobile so we will be purchasing three motorcycles to be complemented by one that we currently have," said Harris.

The council recently staged its municipal Christmas tree lighting ceremony that attracted hundreds of persons to the historic Sam Sharpe Square in Montego Bay.