To all concerned about beach vendors!

[Rob]

Since Negril.com started in 1995, there have been complaints online about vendors on the beach. Not the ones simply trying to earn a living and making your vacation stay a memorable one, but the few aggressive, moody ones who have felt left out of the tourism "windfall" and decide to take it out on our visitors.

These few "bad eggs" have come and gone over the years, with some years being worse and some being better than others. But nevertheless, they have been a part of the Negril scene.

Many of you understand the socio-economic dynamics and just roll with the flow, while this can be a vacation disturbing experience for others. This has been a reality Negril and Jamaica has been dealing with since tourism started.

Some complaints have recently become "viral" on social media demanding action by the Jamaican government. Such action has commenced and drug dealers are being busted on our Seven Mile Beach. The illegal horse rides on the beach are also being busted.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/artic...200129699/1373

So action against illegal vending on the beach is being done. The police are doing their job. But it seems that this demand has had some consequences not considered in the original complaints.

The police cannot be selective in their duty, their job is to enforce the existing laws.

A consequence of that enforcement as a previous thread mentioned is that the Patty Man, Norman, the guy with the patties who sells them to many of us on the beach has been removed from the beach. He has no vendors license because he cannot get one. The license he needs simply does not exist under the present laws.

Richard Wallace, the current President of Negril Chamber of Commerce stated in the above article link "Wallace added that there are no laws on the books that effectively protect the tourism industry. “When most of these laws were enacted, there wasn't even a tourism industry at that time,” he stressed.
The chamber president has, meanwhile, called for an adjustment of “the regular laws or the JTB (Jamaica Tourist Board) Act to protect the industry".

For those who want to help, please contact the Chamber of Commerce and let them know of your actual experiences, both good and bad and be honest. As Browns54 pointed out, some of the complaints are an obvious exaggeration, but they still need to be addressed. But there is no need to throw out the baby with the bath water.

The Chamber link is on the main page of Negril.com.

Thanks for reading.

[rtitle]

There are street vendors all over Jamaica. Do all those vendors in Coronation Market, Kingston have licenses? Just wondering what the laws actually are...

[Rob]

Coronation Market has many of the same issues and they get busted regularly.

As for the Jamaican laws, they can all be found online.

[Ras Walleye]

They seem he’ll bent on killing the Negril vibe. Ridiculous music cutoffs arbitrarily enforced. Removing long time legitimate vendors. What’s next?

[Rob]

Ras,

The longtime vendors need to become legit. Write the Chamber....

[JohnNYC]

They should allow a grace period or temporary license so these people can still feed their families while going through the process.

[Bnewb]

They should allow a grace period or temporary license so these people can still feed their families while going through the process.

In reference to the vendors that sell food etc on the beach...
there simply is no license available to become a legal vendor, as Rob said in his original post. Most, including Norman would be very happy to become legal.

[Todd]

http://www.negrilchamber.org/contact/

[original spanky]

anyone know if the fruit lady who has the stand by what is now idle awhile is still there?

[spub]

This is a copy of a letter I just wrote to the Negril Chamber of Commerce -

To whom it may concern -

I have been coming to Negril since 1975. My next trip ( in April ) will be my 34th, and unfortunately may be my last. While I understand the concerns with aggressive vendors on the beach, I cannot see the logic of removing those who have become a staple of life in Negril. I speak of people like Norman, the patty man, Dean the jerk pork man, the ice cream man, the fruit lady, etc.. These people are a large part of what makes Negril the vacation destination of many. Without them, much of Negril's charm is lost. If they need a license, then make one available to them, as it is my understanding that there is not one at this point in time. Regardless, if on my upcoming, trip I am unable to enjoy the many wares and charms of those people I've mentioned (and those I've forgotten ), I will have to give serious consideration to other places to spend my money in the future.

Regards,

Kirt Tompkins