MCKENZIE... for local government to have any meaning in the country the law must take its course

KINGSTON'S mayor, Desmond McKenzie, vowed yesterday not to back down from his plan to push through the regulation of higglers and to enforce no-vending zones in sections of downtown Kingston despite threats against his life and that of town clerk, Errol Greene.

"If they threaten me one hundred times, we can't back down from a position of the law," McKenzie told the Observer. " ... The KSAC (Kingston and St Andrew Corporation) will not bow to pressure of any sort. For local government to have any meaning in the country the law must take its course."

McKenzie largely echoed that position on a separate statement last night in which he opened the door for dialogue but insisted that "I am not giving up another inch of space to vending".

The KSAC, the city's local government, is currently engaged in what has become an annual convulsion over how to regulate street vendors whose numbers balloon in the normally busy, but notoriously tough and gritty section of the capital, during the Christmas season.

In the past the KSAC has talked firmly about not allowing the sellers to occupy sections of the business district, but is notorious for giving in, in the face of pressure from vendors who, it is believed, are egged on by the city's so-called 'dons' who run extortion rackets.

But in recent weeks McKenzie, believing that he has the support of two vendors' associations that represent the city's estimated 10,000 street vendors, has been insisting that he will keep a December 6 deadline for vendors to register with the corporation and be assigned to designated areas.

He has also been adamant that no street vending will be allowed on roads where the police and emergency services have concern that clogged streets could undermine security and emergency response.

But the consensus which McKenzie and his council appeared to have forged with vendors began to unravel at the weekend when United Vendors' Association president, Robert Cover, expressed concern about the plans and warned of the possibility of an "explosive situation" if the KSAC insisted on collecting the registration fee and took tough action against sellers who did not comply with the orders.

Spokesmen for a rival organisation -- the Vendors, Higglers and Markets Association -- have up to now maintained their support for the reorganisation plan, which is part of a wider effort to bring order to the old section of the capital for which a major renewal project is on the drawing boards. A not-for-profit public/private sector company that is to spearhead the redevelopment of downtown Kingston was launched last week.

However, yesterday McKenzie said that Greene, who has in the past received death threats -- especially during campaigns to remove vendors from areas prohibited to vending -- had again received threatening phone calls.

"We have not taken it lightly," he said. " We know that the threats have come because of the pro-active position that has been taken to clean up the city. The matter has been reported to the police."

McKenzie said that he too had taken the threats to his own life "very seriously", but had not asked for any increase in his personal security. "People want the work that we are doing to stop," the mayor said. "But, we can't just pack up shop and leave and let thugs take over."

The comment was a pointed reference to the extortionists who charge vendors 'security' fees for selling downtown.

Yesterday, one vendor, who asked not to be identified, was not only confused by the developments but feared an eruption of violence if the issue was not settled. She has paid protection money.

Said the vendor: "Jesus Christ, we just want to sell. We just want to pay who wi fi pay and sell. Cause if we don't pay the big man (dons), them just come take up we things. If we don't pay KSAC them come take up we things, too." Some vendors, she said, preferred to pay the dons because they provided security. "We don't want see nobody a walk up and down with them big gun."

But in last night's statement McKenzie urged vendors to co-operate with the KSAC.

"I have no intention of resorting to any form of brute force," he said. "There is enough space for all and I want to encourage them to co-operate with the KSAC in this measure."

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