MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Vendors operating at May Pen Car Park in Mandeville town centre are protesting what they describe as the Manchester Municipal Corporation’s unreasonable decision to close their stalls without making alternative arrangements to relocate them.

The Jamaica Observer was told on Monday that 15 vendors were given notice on October 6 to remove their belongings from the car park
— which accommodates commuters and taxi operators
— by last Saturday, November 7.

“Please be advised that you are required to vacate the premises currently occupied by you at the May Pen Car Park within 30 days of this notice… You are required to remove all personal belongings, fixtures, equipment, and other materials from the premises by this date and to return the property in a clean, orderly, and satisfactory condition. You are kindly requested to make the necessary arrangements to comply with this notice within the stipulated time frame,” the notice, signed by Manchester Municipal Corporation Acting Chief Executive Officer Damion Chen, read in part.

However, vendors say they have been left out in the cold with nowhere to go. They converged in the car park on Monday unable to operate their stalls.

One of the vendors, Angela Johnson, said efforts to have a meeting with Mandeville Mayor Donovan Mitchell and Chen have been unsuccessful.

“They don’t give a location to go. They only came and told us we have to lift up without finding anywhere to put us. We wrote a letter to the CEO and Mr Mitchell asking for a meeting. We didn’t get any response. The only thing the CEO said is if we don’t move they are going to use municipal police and take us out of the park,” she said.

Art and craft vendor Desmond Bennett is among the affected sellers in the May Pen Car Park in Mandeville, Manchester. Kasey Williams

When contacted, both Mayor Mitchell and Chen declined to speak on the matter.

Johnson claimed that the congestion and parking issues faced by taxi operators in Mandeville are caused by a once a week wholesale market in the neighbouring Central Car Park.

“The only problem is on a Wednesday when it is the wholesale day. We are only asking for more time until the municipal corporation can relocate us. We are willing to move,” Johnson said.

Vendor Tamara Gordon speaking with journalists on Monday in the May Pen Car Park in Mandeville, Manchester.

“We want Rhoda [Crawford] to step in. We don’t see any Christmas. All of us have children attending school,” she added.

Crawford is the Manchester Central Member of Parliament.

Vendor Angela Johnson said efforts to have a meeting with Mandeville Mayor Donovan Mitchell and acting CEO at the municipal corporation Damion Chen have been unsuccessful.

Another vendor, Tamara Gordon, shared a similar sentiment.

“We have rent to pay and other things to do. Right now I have four partner and I can’t throw not even one. I am not supposed to be in my town and be a refugee here. I am supposed to be able to work in the town like anybody else. Rhoda, come to the front of the line, we the people want you now to come and talk for us,” she said.

Snack vendor Pauline Miller, who has been plying her wares in the car park for more than three decades, said, “We keep this park clean and we are not a problem to the taxi operators. We are the ones who provide shelter for even the commuters, because there is no bus shed, and if we are in here and you are having a problem with us come and have a meeting with us. We go down by the parish council and we get an attitude that we have to come out. Where are we going to go? You don’t have nowhere to put us,” she said.

Snack vendor Pauline Miller has been plying her wares in the car park for more than three decades.

“This morning (Monday) mentro came in on us hot and knocked on my counter saying ‘Yuh nuh get notice to come out here, what are you in here doing? Lock up and come out’. That is the way they handle people. We pay our money as registered vendors. We pay $3,000 to register and per day we pay $400 to sell here. You can’t treat us like trash,” added Miller.

Ralston Laylor, a taxi operator who plies the Mile Gully to Mandeville route, said the municipal corporation should focus on providing proper sanitary conveniences in the car park.

“We don’t have a proper urinal. The next thing, too, when the rain comes all of my passengers are getting wet… If the vendors were not in here people wouldn’t have anywhere to shelter,” he said.

The Mandeville town centre in Manchester