The Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) has kick-started a series of town hall meetings geared towards better engaging vendors across the Corporate Area.
The first of the meetings was held last Wednesday, and saw vendors from the Constant Spring Arcade and the general vending areas in the vicinity of Half-Way Tree, as well as its environs, in attendance.
The meeting also saw the attendance of representatives of a number of public agencies and major private entities, including the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) and the public health department.
Various issues were discussed, including the need to strengthen the dialogue between the municipal corporation and the vendors, as well as the need to keep vending areas in the Corporate Area clean.
Kingston Mayor, Andrew Swaby, encouraged the vendors to organise themselves, from which representatives can be selected, to have regular meetings with the KSAMC.
“I would love to see us get to the mode where even once per month we can meet with vendors,” he said.
Swaby also emphasised the importance of keeping vending areas clean throughout the Corporate Area.
“There is also the area where you are really blocking business people’s entrances.
“There is also the issue where people cook on the sidewalks; that is a public safety issue, and not only the fire weh deh deh, but also persons who don’t have food handlers permit doing it (cooking),” said Swaby.
He also raised the issue of how vendors dispose of their garbage in the areas, where they ply their trade.
“The National Solid Waste Management Authority’s (NSWMA) primary responsibility is to collect domestic waste, so if yuh a sell, a commercial waste that yuh a duh,” he stated.
The mayor said vendors should containerise their garbage before disposal.
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