Wrecker gets a holiday in San Fernando

VENDORS and shoppers in San Fernando have been given a free reign to cash in on sales which have been slow in the lead up to Christmas.

From today until the end of the year, the wrecking service has been given a holiday. Parking will be allowed on certain streets. On Sunday and Monday, High Street will be transformed into a pedestrian mall from Penitence to Mon Chagrin Streets. Tents will be provided for the vendors, San Fernando Mayor Junia Regrello announced at the corporation’s last Statutory meeting on Thursday.

However, Regrello cautioned both drivers and vendors not to block the free flow of passage or they will be wrecked and removed.

He said the complement of municipal police officers has been augmented by 35 and they would be on the beat to maintain law and order. He said they will also be monitoring for ‘outsiders’ as the concession is only for vendors who are on a registered list.

“We are once again making space available on High Street for the provision of a pedestrian mall on Sunday and Christmas Eve. For the rest of the year we will relax wrecking activity and parking will be available on the street between Harris Promenade and St Joseph’s Convent and also alongside Harris Promenade to accommodate inner city shoppers,” Regrello said. “We have also provided a space in front of the Carnegie Library for most of the apple and seasonal Christmas vendors to operate.

“We are making a special appeal to persons desirous of shopping on High Street to use their discretion not to impede the flow of traffic, by parking too close to corners or directly in front of intersections and business places. We don’t want them to invade or prevent customers going into stores. Failure to do so would result in vehicles being towed away.”

He commended ACP Jayson Forde and Supt Zamsheed Mohammed for facilitating the transition and for the commitment made to ensure the streets of San Fernando are safe during the hectic Christmas season.