AS ONE travels from the downtown Kingston waterfront past Tower Street, Barry Street and Orange Street, it soon becomes obvious that the proverbial cross road made by Princess and Beckford streets, could prove a challenge.
These streets rank as the most congested in the downtown business district. The sidewalks are sandwiched by stalls, permitting pedestrians single-file access only.
"Is pure crosses mi go through every day. Sometimes mi hardly sell anything 'cause people just a push and a go through, dem nah stop fi buy," Icilda James, a 52-year-old higgler moans.
As noon approaches, the pavement and sidewalk of Beckford and Princess streets disappear under a veritable sea of humanity as thousands converge on the area.
The vendors settle on the sidewalks, and spill over into the road making it almost impossible for vehicles to traverse the street. Traffic is a clumsy snail of delivery vehicles, taxis, bicycles, handcarts and people.
Occasionally, there is a fight. Sometimes, it occurs at the intersection of Princess and Beckford streets.
"Mi will lick yu inna yu ears and def yu," an older boy warns another as he slaps him. Hard.
The younger boy cries out in pain. Then vaults over his cart, and miraculously, in the crowded street, finds two stones. He sails one into the crowd, a woman screams in agony, and the other one slams into the ribs of his attacker. The boys scuffle and then scamper away.
Just another day in Downtown Kingston.
"The congestion is terrible down here, no ambulance, no vehicle can move in this confusion. If you get stabbed, or shot, or anything, only a handcart can take you up to KPH. What kind of life is that?", a businessman asked.
Pilferage is very high in this area.
"Because the street is congested, the delivery trucks cannot carry the goods to the doors of the store, so you have to pay the cartmen to carry it up, and then the same vendors in the street tief the goods, and sell it back," complained a shop owner.
Brazen attempts
There are also brazen attempts at shoplifting.
"Women, schoolgirls and children. They all travel in packs."
Businessmen, especially those in the Princess and Beckford Street areas, have reported a downturn in business, some say as much as 40 per cent in recent times.
"Indiscipline is indiscipline, it is not culture. This is no longer even about business, this is about common decency. Why do Jamaicans do this to themselves? A crowd doesn't mean good business, the more people in the street, the less money they can make because people can't spend in that sort of chaos."
Inspector Dean Taylor of the Central police station had this to say: "There has been a decrease in robberies, the police presence on King Street and Orange Street has kept crime down, and there are plainclothes policemen from the Central Flying Squad and the Special Anti-Crime unit out there in Princess Street. A number of arrests have been made".
A Gleaner news team kept a sharp eye out for the lawmen on Princess, Beckford and Orange Streets, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. yesterday. Not one in sight. Certainly none in uniform.
But the "area enforcers", as they are called by the vendors, are very visible.
At least three disputes were spotted in the area, and each time, "Ian" successfully quelled them.
"The area enforcers dem do dem work, but vendors and people here need proper police protection. The only time the police dem show up is after 5 when dem go protect some of the Chinese from foreign, but what about we?"
Reports are that the Oxford Mall could be completed in time for the Christmas season. But the street-side vendors are pessimistic.
"Mi nah go over de so right between Tivoli and Matthews Lane. After me a no idiot. Things little better since the Metro man dem stop terrorise we, but it needs improvement."
