OSH Agency gives ultimatum over High Street vending

THE Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSH) has given the City of San Fernando an ultimatum – control vending on High Street or face closure.

San Fernando mayor Robert Parris confirmed communication from agency during an interview with the media after a military parade on Saturday morning commemorating the 35th anniversary of San Fernando achieving city status.

“We were approached by OSH authority and we really have to look at the vending situation on High Street. It is becoming a little bit of out hand,” Parris said.

“Next Tuesday we would be meeting with them (OSH) and discussing some plans the council has put forward that would only redound to the betterment of the city."

A meeting with the vendors is also on the agenda.

The vending situation has grown out of hand and businesses, pedestrians and shoppers alike have been complaining about the inability to use the pavement, causing difficulty for some business owners to access their own stores.

Some business owners also complained about commercial vehicles being issued tickets for illegal parking when offloading goods.

Parris said he has been continuously meeting with members of the business community and has asked them to be a little more humane for this Christmas season.

The mayor said he will not be engaging in any draconian measures to remove the vendors but to strike a balance between them and the legitimate business owners.

He said while he will entertain them for the Christmas season but some hard decision will be taken in January. One of the options under consideration is to relocate the vendors to Mucurapo Street.

The city is also working with the Historical Society to restore Library Corner, which has been taken over by vendors.

Parris noted there are a lot of other historical sites the team is looking at to preserve and return them to their prominence.

“Just like Port of Spain has the Magnificent Seven, San Fernando has architectural relics of a previous era that we must continue to have pride in. The Carnegie Library is one of them.”

He is also working with the police to investigate reports of drug blocks on High Street and Library Corner.

During Saturday's parade, scores of people witnessed a parade of military and para military detachments, along with horses and dogs from the canine unit, from Skinner Park, to King’s Wharf, San Fernando.

The parade route was blocked off to traffic, causing a backlog in most of the streets as people tried to get in and out of the city.

Parris apologised for the inconvenience. He said this was his first years facilitating the parade and promised there would be no repeat next year.

Parris said he was moved to tears as he witnessed the parade in his first term as mayor.

"I was overwhelmed. It was like a childhood dream come true. My father before me served the city and he had the ability to reach where I have reached. He did not and I just felt overwhelmed. I felt like ‘wow,’ I really did it. I did it the right way.