The Municipal Police operate under the Municipal Corporation to enforce its laws and regulations and public order. This often leads to a clampdown on illegal vending and goods being seized in the area they occupy. However, recently, some vendors’ carts were destroyed in St. Catherine by the municipal police.
A viral video highlighting law enforcers destroying vendors, goods led Local Government and Community Development Minister, Desmond Mckenzie to call on all Mayors to ensure that the Municipal Police in their jurisdictions are reminded about their roles. Now, vendors are crying out about similar treatment.
“Three/ four times they take whole a goods from me whole heap more than one time. The other day I go to court I pay about five thousand, the next month I go back I pay 6000. The last time they take my goods from me I don’t get back none, I don’t go court. They don’t give me a summons or nothing,” says Portland farmer and vendor, Ian Palmer.
Some vendors say they have received permission from other persons to sell on their establishment but the municipal police will still confiscate their goods.
“The owner fi di place give me the authority to sell in there. See him put up a chain and say mi control the chain there but they still come and say the chain can’t stop them,” a Portland vendor shares.
Another vendor says,” the owner say wi can sell here only because he don’t give us a written paper and them still a terrorize we.”
These vendors are now hoping that their concerns will be addressed by councillors at the next municipal meeting in the parish.
