Trelawny Parish Council to restrict vending in Falmouth
Only 20 vendors will be allowed to sell in Falmouth square. (Gleaner Company photo)
A major showdown is looming between the Trelawny Parish Council and vendors in Falmouth.
This follows news that strong measures are to be implemented by the Council in response to complaints from Royal Caribbean Cruises that its passengers have been harassed in the town.
Among the action to be taken is a review of vending arrangements in Falmouth.
However suggestions put forward by the Parish Council during a meeting on Monday night did not sit well with the vendors resulting in a fracas.
It has been a few weeks since the first megaliner visited Falmouth and residents have been urged by tourism players including Tourism Minister Ed Bartlett to avoid harassing visitors to the Georgian town.
However there have been several complaints from visitors and Royal Caribbean has urged the Council to get its act together or lose potential earnings.
The mayor called a meeting and told the vendors that only 20 of them will be allowed to ply their wares in the town square on Wednesday when one of the world's largest cruise ships, Oasis of the Seas, returns.
The suggestion has not gone down well with the vendors and Councilor for the Falmouth Division, Garth Wilkinson.
“So what they have asked is that pebble stone streets like Sun Street, Falmouth Street, Seaboard Street and Market Street be no vending areas, but they have gone a bit further that only 20 vendors are allowed to sell in the square and it has not gone down well with the persons with the vendors and that is where the problem is,” Mr. Wilkinson said.
Up to late Monday night, the mayor and vendors had not reached an agreement.
Only 20 vendors will be allowed to sell in Falmouth square. (Gleaner Company photo)
A major showdown is looming between the Trelawny Parish Council and vendors in Falmouth.
This follows news that strong measures are to be implemented by the Council in response to complaints from Royal Caribbean Cruises that its passengers have been harassed in the town.
Among the action to be taken is a review of vending arrangements in Falmouth.
However suggestions put forward by the Parish Council during a meeting on Monday night did not sit well with the vendors resulting in a fracas.
It has been a few weeks since the first megaliner visited Falmouth and residents have been urged by tourism players including Tourism Minister Ed Bartlett to avoid harassing visitors to the Georgian town.
However there have been several complaints from visitors and Royal Caribbean has urged the Council to get its act together or lose potential earnings.
The mayor called a meeting and told the vendors that only 20 of them will be allowed to ply their wares in the town square on Wednesday when one of the world's largest cruise ships, Oasis of the Seas, returns.
The suggestion has not gone down well with the vendors and Councilor for the Falmouth Division, Garth Wilkinson.
“So what they have asked is that pebble stone streets like Sun Street, Falmouth Street, Seaboard Street and Market Street be no vending areas, but they have gone a bit further that only 20 vendors are allowed to sell in the square and it has not gone down well with the persons with the vendors and that is where the problem is,” Mr. Wilkinson said.
Up to late Monday night, the mayor and vendors had not reached an agreement.
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