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Police to go ahead with clean-up in city
Thursday, October 14, 2010
DESPITE reports that the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC) was not on board, police yesterday said they would go ahead with a planned operation to remove vendors from the streets of the city today.
“The move is aimed at removing conditions that could result in the commission of crimes, breaches of public order and the obstruction in the free flow of traffic,” Superintendent Steve McGregor, head of the Kingston Central Division, said.
Terrence Bent, head of Area Four, added that the current vending situation in downtown restricted police from executing their duties.
On Monday Mayor Desmond McKenzie fumed that McGregor’s team did not consult his office on the proposed clean-up and warned that there could be consequences.
“The police cannot (continue) to operate like that; the police are not in a position to determine where there is no-vending and vending areas,” he said, adding that the cops would “have to face up to the consequences of whatever happens after the operation”.
The mayor also threatened to bring the matter to the attention of the Commissioner of Police Owen Ellington.
Meanwhile, however, the majority of the members of the minority caucus of councillors at KSAC said they are in full support of the planned removal.
"The Minority Caucus of Councillors at the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation notes with great concern reports in the media that the KSAC is not supporting the initiative of the police to enforce no-vending regulations in downtown Kingston," they said in a release.
“As a group, we support any initiative that is aimed at restoring good order to the streets of the capital,” said the councillors.
The caucus, comprised of PNP councillors, also said they believed the police heading the operation were “sufficiently” aware of the vending regulations and would know the designated vending areas in the city since they have been working with the KSAC over an extended period of time.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
DESPITE reports that the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC) was not on board, police yesterday said they would go ahead with a planned operation to remove vendors from the streets of the city today.
“The move is aimed at removing conditions that could result in the commission of crimes, breaches of public order and the obstruction in the free flow of traffic,” Superintendent Steve McGregor, head of the Kingston Central Division, said.
Terrence Bent, head of Area Four, added that the current vending situation in downtown restricted police from executing their duties.
On Monday Mayor Desmond McKenzie fumed that McGregor’s team did not consult his office on the proposed clean-up and warned that there could be consequences.
“The police cannot (continue) to operate like that; the police are not in a position to determine where there is no-vending and vending areas,” he said, adding that the cops would “have to face up to the consequences of whatever happens after the operation”.
The mayor also threatened to bring the matter to the attention of the Commissioner of Police Owen Ellington.
Meanwhile, however, the majority of the members of the minority caucus of councillors at KSAC said they are in full support of the planned removal.
"The Minority Caucus of Councillors at the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation notes with great concern reports in the media that the KSAC is not supporting the initiative of the police to enforce no-vending regulations in downtown Kingston," they said in a release.
“As a group, we support any initiative that is aimed at restoring good order to the streets of the capital,” said the councillors.
The caucus, comprised of PNP councillors, also said they believed the police heading the operation were “sufficiently” aware of the vending regulations and would know the designated vending areas in the city since they have been working with the KSAC over an extended period of time.
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