Market vendors applaud SOE move
WHILE MANY vendors in the Coronation Market in downtown Kingston shy away from speaking publicly about the practice of extortion in the area, some were only too glad to voice their support for the latest state of emergency (SOE).
During a walk-through of the commercial district on Monday, some vendors applauded the latest move by Government to provide enhanced security measures in the Kingston Western and Kingston Central Police divisions.
The geographical location of the market serves as a median to those two divisions.
A male vendor who requested anonymity said, “Yes, man and man show up and a nuh all the time we have it. Man want offer lick ina face and dem thing deh. You will all lose yuh life.”
The vendor told The Gleaner
that collectors show up often.
“A nuh set fee. Some man come through and beg a thing and we afi give dem it ... all when nothing nah sell,” the vendor said.
A female vendor was more precise and told The Gleaner
that thugs come to the market and collect a $500 or $1,000.
“When we nuh have it dem circle back and if dem did calm the first time, dem a mek you know a right now dem want it. It set a way ‘cause people all lose dem life over it. We glad for the state of emergency. The police and soldier dem need fi a patrol more now,” the woman said.
The vendor told The Gleaner
that the collectors do not have a specific timing.
“A nuh like today Monday and we a look out for them, no. Dem show up any time. Last week mi buy cabbage for $200 a pound and mi haffi sell it back for $100 just to leave. And man still send come fi a change. The fire last week mek people stay away because the news did say Coronation and it was Ray Ray market,” the vendor added.
CHILDREN BEING DRAWN IN
An elderly vendor revealed that children are being drawn into the extortion racket.
He told The Gleaner, “Last night (Sunday) I saw one around here and we a wonder what him doing. He was going around. He should be home with his parents, and we never see any police or authority to report the matter to them. Them watch the older ones and try to do the same.”
There was one woman who told The Gleaner that she has been a vendor for over five years and has no knowledge of extortion.
“A di fuss me a hear bout that. Nobody nuh come to me and mi nuh see nobody doing it,” she said.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness on Sunday declared a state of public emergency in the Kingston Western and Kingston Central Police divisions.
Holness noted that the space now declared has seen increased criminal activity in the second quarter of this year.
“These areas, if left unchecked, have shown historically that they can spiral to chaotic ends, even having national disruptive impact,” Holness said.
He pointed out that there have been increased criminal activities, especially around the market districts and the South Coast Highway Improvement Project, along the Harbour View to Bull Bay route.