THE Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) is to clamp down on vending in front of Kingston Parish Church and the sidewalks on the upper section of King Street in downtown Kingston.

Following a meeting with some vendors from 65 Mall Arcade downtown on Wednesday, Mayor of Kingston Andrew Swaby said he made it clear to them that vending in the vicinity of the historic church will not be allowed.

“For a good while now — I think it was from minister [Desmond] McKenzie was mayor [of Kingston between 2003 and 2012] we have had that understanding with the vendors [but] in recent times we have seen an increase in the number of vendors there and that cannot be tolerated anymore,” said Swaby.

“We have had a discussion about it and I have indicated to them that in the near future we will be preventing them from vending there. The KSAMC will be having discussions with the police, and with our municipal police, to put some strategies in place to prevent persons from vending there,” added Swaby.

He said no date has yet been set for the vendors to leave the area as he is in discussions with the police as to when the enforcement of the no-vending rule should begin.

“One thing I know is that the vendors will be properly notified before we put those measures in place,” declared Swaby.

The mayor noted that the vendors have pointed to issues they face in the arcade as the reason for selling on the streets and he will be touring the facility today with a technical team to see what improvements need to be made.

“What we have encouraged them to do is also to put themselves in the Vendors Committee where the KSAMC can interact with them on a regular basis. One of the issues they spoke about was the situation with the bathroom [in the arcade]. Not that it is not in a good condition but how it is left at times by, not only the vendors themselves, but persons from outside who come inside and use it.

“There are other issues where some of the stalls people use on the outside they take and store it in the arcade, handcarts are also stored in there. They spoke about other issues such as the lighting and I have immediately given instructions that should address that,” Swaby added.

Swaby…we have had a discussion about it and I have indicated to them that in the near future we will be preventing them from vending there.

In response to the relocation plan announced by the mayor, some vendors admitted that they sell on the road despite having stalls in the arcade.

Vendor Kerisha Lee said for more than 20 years she has had a stall in the arcade but has spent all of that time selling on the road.

According to Lee, she is not pleased with the plan to remove them from the road but she is willing to accept it.

“Because it is the truth and we know the right and whenever the time come fi clean up the real way, we have to mek we own decision,” said Lee as she agreed that the vendors should definitely be moved from in front of the church even if they are allowed to sell on sections of King Street.

Fellow vendor Carlene Matthews said she appreciated the fact that the mayor met with them before imposing the no-vending rule and she fully understands the decision to move them from in front of the church.

“I think it needs to be done because it don’t look good. If you go foreign you have to stay in your lane and stay in the market vending area if you not supposed to be on the road… Mi think say if everybody in the arcade the arcade will sell,” said Matthews.

Kingston Parish Church stands on the corner of South Parade and King Street. It was consecrated in 1911 after being rebuilt following the 1907 earthquake which flattened most of downtown.

The church was rebuilt as a replica of the original, with the addition of a clock tower.