Some handcart operators in downtown Kingston have not renewed their licences since the initial registration period three years ago.

Speaking with the Jamaica Observer last week, the operators admitted that since registering once, they have not been approached to renew licences and have not gone to the Kingston St Andrew Corporation (KSAC) for renewal.

“Me license it di first time when cart a license, me license my own. So me nuh see dem come back to me from dat first time deh,” Percival McGreggor, a handcart operator for almost two decades told the Jamaica Observer last week.

“Dem nuh come back to me bout nuh more so me nuh know if dem ago rock back pan me or whatever,” he stressed.

In 2013, the KSAC instituted a licensing regime, whereby handcart operators were mandated to pay an annual registration fee of $3,000 to receive metal licence plates for the carts. Cart owners who rent to others were expected to pay a $500 fee for each cart.

Over 400 operators were granted licences at the time.

In 2014, the corporation announced that it would be reviewing the re-registration process as it estimated that 1500 carts were not registered.

Fast-forward to 2016, one cart operator who falls among that lot, sees no need to register now.

“Mi nuh license my own ’cause a joke ting dat, yuh cya license board,” 29-year-old Markland Murdock boldly told the

Sunday Observer as he perched atop his cart.

“If yuh license it an it lick somebody you response fi dem, ’cause dem ago tek off di number an a you response fi dem,” he reasoned.

Referring to the KSAC as a problem, the cart operator likened the licensing regime as only a money-making ploy.

“KSAC dem a problem enuh ’cause dem charge six gran fi licence di cart, three gran fi di licence itself so yuh affi have di licence fi di cart den di licence fi drive di cart,” Murdock said.

He continued: “If somebody mash up your car there is nothing coming out of it. So that’s a total waste a time. Nuh insurance nuh deh pan it, dat’s total waste of time. If you damage somebody sumn you affi fix it but if your sumn get damaged there’s nothing to fix, you have to do that affa yuh own so that is total rubbish.”

He too told the Sunday Observer that since its inception, the licensing policy was never implemented thereafter.

Paul Chambers, who said his cart was last licensed over a year ago, was uncertain of the licence renewal process.

“Me did fi licence it back April gone but dem neva come back fi do it,” he stated.

“Me nuh know why but dem did a kinda lick out pan it an a say we nuh have nutten fi get. If we lick somebody we affi go give dem money an if somebody lick we we affi go find money fix it, we nuh have nutten fi get,” noted Chambers.

The KSAC did not follow through on its pledge to address the matter.