JAMAICA Labour Party caretaker for North West St James, Dr Horace Chang, said the authorities need to develop a clear plan of action in order to combat the nagging problem of street vending in Montego Bay.

According to him, the present approach whereby the police are regularly called out to remove vendors was an emotive one, which often led to violent clashes.

“The police have once again been called to apply law and clear our streets of vendors. This has become a recurring event in the life of Montego Bay and several rural towns,” Chang noted in a recent release. He pointed out, however, that this was not the best approach to adopt in trying to tackle the problem of street vending. In fact, he argued that the authorities have been unable to curtail the problem of street vending because the level of policing required was “likely to be unsustainable, and at times, become even provocative.”

As an alternative to possible confrontations, Chang proposed instead that a marketplace be developed on the lands between the Charles Gordon Market and the People’s Arcade after the relocation of the Railway Lane inner city community.

“The Railway will likely be made redundant by Highway 2000, and even if it is reactivated, it is better terminated at Bogue,” he remarked. “An immediate plan to develop all that area into a market place, for all size vendors and large wholesalers, could recreate a viable, attractive and safe market area, where thousands could shop all day and night”.

He also suggested that the authorities consider, as another possible market area, the space that would soon be available on lower Creek Street after the completion of the South Gully project. According to him, this space could be used to facilitate a joint venture development of a marketplace, similar to the one on Constant Spring Road in Kingston.

But the St James Parish Council has long said that this area will be used to provide commercial parking.

Chang’s proposals came against the background of recent protests by vendors who are opposed to the St James Parish Council’s latest initiative to get them to occupy spots inside designated markets.

However, Chang told the Observer that the current move by the council to relocate the vendors to the Charles Gordon Market and People’s Arcade was not the answer. “Both (locations) have space, but both are in very bad locations, both are poorly designed, and both are unsafe after 4 pm,” he pointed out. “It is unjust to ask small business operators to remain in these locations.”

The JLP caretaker’s other suggestion included allowing solidarity cart vendors to ply their wares in designated areas after 4 pm. “Stalls like the previously used solidarity carts could be built, in association with the Tourism Product development Company, and vendors registered and be allowed to sell in designated area,” he said. Chang said these cart vendors could be assigned to the areas adjacent to Orange Street, St Clavers Avenue, the Anglican church car park and Barnett Street. “With training and organisation, all these would combine to provide opportunities to our small business entrepreneurs, while enhancing the downtown area of Montego Bay as a place for visitors and locals.”