AS A follow up to last week's article on the bulldozing of some of the vendors at Hellshire, I made some enquiries. Well no one seems to know why it was done, or is simply not saying. The representative from UDC could not give a straight answer on a recent radio programme.
The alleged objectives as reported in the newspapers don't hold true as there is no indication of the need for developing that particular area. Cleaning up the beach isn't in the plan either as the debris left behind from the bulldozing is still there.
Obviously the neat little stalls constituted a problem but the rubbish left by the UDC isn't. I listened to reports that the "new" residents on the hill complained of loud music. If that was the case then call the police and have them shut down the sound system.
Having said all this and put two and two together, and in the absence of no other plausible explanation, I have come to the conclusion that someone wanted to make a point. Either to the vendors on the beach or to impress someone else.
Right of ownership
To make the point to the vendors could be the result of exercising the right to a property. This is done in many cases where property is allowed use by the public but restricted once a year to confirm ownership, to prevent claims by others. This is usually done in a civil manner by closing a gate or pulling a chain. The UDC may have been exercising their right of ownership.
To impress someone else the mere removal or restriction of the vendors wasn't enough. The show of power was the objective here. The question is why. But here is the real problem. UDC is a private company and if the land of Hellshire beach is owned by the UDC then it is not land belonging to the Government or the "Crown" it is therefore private land, and subject to claims by public users if unrestricted for twelve years. The last reported "attack" on the vendors was fifteen years ago. They may very well have a claim on the land.
To compound the matter, the general public that has been having unrestricted use of Hellshire can also take a stand and demand that the land become or remain public property. The bottom line is simply that whomever gave the order to level this product, touted in tourist brochures and frequented by all of Kingston, was out of order.
Hellshire fish on a Sunday, practically a religious event for many, a unique indigenous cultural cuisine is under threat by some megalomaniac in the city. My guess is they may be partners in one of the packaged Jamaican cuisine companies, and need to stamp out the "real ting", have a fish bone in somewhere where it really hurts, or needed to fulfil a jealous threat.
Email: vitruvius_@hotmail.com
