The Editor, Sir:

I have noticed something about our country which came to my attention as a result of my frequent travels along the Norman Manley Highway and Port Royal Road.

I run a small surf camp in the Bull Bay area which attracts a number of international surfers each year to share Jamaica's incredible waves.

One of our regular spots for surfing is near the Plumb Point Lighthouse and, as such, I have on many occasions taken visitors along this picturesque section of our coastline.

This I have been doing for about 10 years and one of my guests' favourite stops after a morning surf is at the 'Jelly Man' near the airport roundabout for an ice-cold coconut.

Recently, while there enjoying a drink, a police car pulled up and one of the policemen said to our 'Jelly Man' ... "You soon have to move from here, you know." Hearing this, I asked why should he had to move and was informed that what he was doing there was illegal.

Two weeks later

Sure enough, about two weeks later I noticed that there was a team of men erecting a guard rail which ran from the roundabout all the way to the entrance to the Yacht Club/Gunboat Beach. Then, about a week later, I saw at least two dozen 'No Parking' signs installed on both sides of the road along that strip of road in question. I thought, "Why do we need a guard rail here"? There is no dangerous curve, no cliff ... nothing, except a Jelly Man.

Now, when we stop to get a coconut we are breaking the law! Was all this done to get rid of the roadside vendor?

Why do we want to criminalise this hard-working Jamaican? If I were in charge, I would work with his example, not against it.

He has identified a good spot to start up a business. I can verify that guests to our island love to stop and have a native coconut and talk with the local people. So I would put in a 'lay-by' to allow cars to pull off the road at this point, not block it off. I would have the area zoned as a vending point and limit the number of vendors, and register them and have them pay a small licence to operate at that location. Instead of tearing down their stalls I would approve the size, design and colours acceptable while still allowing for individual creativity.

Fix more than one problem

Then, I would move the guard rail to that place in Portland where the market truck went over the cliff killing all those people, and in so doing solve more than one problem.

This man sources his coconuts, ice, drinks and snacks, keeps his immediate area clean and tidy and harms no one. What would we rather he do - move away from there and turn to a life of real crime in order to survive?

We need to empower hard-working citizens of our nation, not criminalise them.

I am, etc.,

BILLY WILMOT

billymystic@yahoo.com

Bull Bay, St Andrew