Illegal vending increases in Portmore

SPANISH TOWN, St. Catherine:

COUNCILLORS IN South and South East St. Catherine are upset with the evident increase in illegal vending within the Portmore community, especially in the environs of the Portmore Mall.

Councillors Owen Sanderson and Collin Fagan have questioned the efficiency of the municipal police in light of the developments.

The local representatives' complaints come in the wake of the return of the sellers to their familiar vending spots, shortly after they were cleared from the entire Portmore area.

Over 200 containers that are used as shops, wholesale outlets, restaurants and hair dressing and barber salons, continue to do business.

Superintendent of Roads and Works, George Smikle told last month's meeting of the St. Catherine Parish Council that all permanent stalls in the Portmore area were removed but that the vendors had returned. He noted that the municipal police would have been deployed to various areas to monitor and keep the vendors off the roadsides.

Councillor Sanderson argued at the June meeting that he has not seen any municipal police around and strongly suggested that they be placed in the community to restore some order there as a matter of urgency.

Mr. Smikle has assured the Council that the Council's enforcement team will bring the illegal vending under control.

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