A large detachment of police officers combed the streets of Savanna-la-Mar Tuesday, destroying stalls and confiscating goods as the authorities moved to clamp down on the recurrent problem of street vending.

However, this latest move did not go down well with the swearing mob of vendors who contend that they have no option but to sell their wares on the streets as the conditions in the local market are less than satisfactory.

But the angry mob did not worry DSP Cecil Fletcher, who was the officer that led the street clean-up operation.

“We did not take the people by surprise, as we used several media to inform the vendors of our intention. In fact, they are not angry with the police because we have a good working relationship with them,” he added.

“What they seem to be angry about is the authorities but they were warned and some of them just did not take heed.”

The aim is to confine the vending to designated areas but the street sellers are not satisfied with the conditions at some of those locations and are begging for the matter to be addressed.

Area leader for the community of New Market Oval, Joseph “Joe Bumps” James feels that the government should find adequate places to house the vendors before forcing them off the streets.

“The market lacks proper security, a woman was held up at gun point and robbed and this kind of thing has been plaguing the vendors for some time,” he argued. “The general condition of the market is poor because even the recent hurricanes that passed, sections of the building was damaged and is presently in need of repairs.”

But despite losing stalls and valuable merchandise, some of the vendors have admitted that they must shoulder some of the blame for the loss of their property, as the police had given them adequate warning.

One woman, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that if all the vendors (in the vicinity of the market) co-operate, business could be conducted in an orderly manner. First, she said, they have to clear the streets, and allow the shoppers to come to them.