SAVANNA-LA-MAR, Westmoreland — Westmoreland taxi operators and market vendors are outraged at the joint effort of the Westmoreland Police and the Municipal Corporation to restore public order in the parish.

Head of the Westmoreland Police Division, Senior Superintendent Wayne Josephs, said the campaign will be focused on illegal vending and taxi/bus operators that are not complying with the rules.

READ: Public order warning issued for vendors, taxi/bus operators in Westmoreland

Rickard Taylor, a taxi operator who plies the Savanna-La-Mar to Whitehouse route, says he is displeased with the public order reset. He noted that the park is not ready and needs de-bushing.

“If yaah go direct us to the park, get the place clean nuh, get the place properly attired,” said Taylor.

“If one great shower of rain should come when a number of passengers and operators in here, where are we going to shelter. We don’t have a problem using the park, but just deal wid the thing mek it look like she a smaddy a come in here, we anuh animal, “Taylor added.

When asked by OBSERVER ONLINE if all taxi operators can be facilitated in the park, Taylor responded with a resounding no.

Meanwhile, another protest is said to be underway at Great George Street which is adjacent to the Savanna-La-Mar market.

Market vendors told OBSERVER ONLINE that the market is filled with faeces and they are disappointed with the public order reset.

They allege that they are being forced to vend in the market, which they describe as “filthy”.

They took to the streets with placards and mounted roadblocks with tyres, boarded crates and boulders.

The Westmoreland Police and Municipal Corporation are expected to enforce the public order reset for the remainder of the day.

– Kimberley Peddie