Vending on beaches in St. Vincent and the Grenadines will be regulated, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves and Minister of Tourism Carlos James have announced.
“… we are looking seriously at the issue of beach vending,” James said on radio on Sunday.
“There is nothing on the books that says that we can currently facilitate beach vending. So, for all intents and purposes, everyone who goes to the beach with an icebox, they are vending illegally,” James, who is also a lawyer, said on WE FM on Sunday.
“And there are cases where sometimes at different location, we have more vendors than people using the beach or there are persons who can’t access the beach to have a relaxing afternoon because there are so many beach chairs or vendors who are performing this particular type of service or providing this particular type of service,” James said.
“But, we have to bring the legislation to facilitate it, to regulate it,” he said on “Issue at Hand”, adding that there must be a balance.
“We are not saying we should not allow beach vending, but what we are saying, we should have the right ratio of how we facilitate beach vendors as well as persons using the facilities. All of these things are conversations that we have to have.”
Meanwhile speaking on the same programme, Gonsalves, who is also a lawyer, said that in 1992, the New Democratic Party passed “a very stringent, a very strong set of beach vending regulations”.
Gonsalves, whose government came to office nine years later and has been in office for 22 years since, said the law was never enforced.
“But now, matters are coming to a head because of the direction in which the economy is moving and that is why Carlos is saying, the minister of Tourism, that matter has to be addressed,” the prime minister said.
He said it is not that the government does not want people to vend on beaches “but you can’t have on the beach the kind of untidiness that we have and this free for all that is taking place.
“Because those beaches are a source of wealth for us,” Gonsalves said, adding that the beaches cannot be “enjoyed by a handful of people, important as it is, for their vending.
“And I want to see their vending and I want to see their vending organised and people make good money off the vending but not done in a chaotic manner and which would put the people who are using the beach at real risk,” the prime minister said.
“Similarly, this thing with people taking some big dog by the sea and want to show off that they have a big dog, what you taking a big dog on a small beach for?
“You lying down on a small beach with your family, you want a big dog … over you?”
The prime minister further said some people want to play football on beaches, to the annoyance of other beach users.
“… the point is this, all of those things are requiring where regulations are in place, they have to be enforced and where the regulations need to be amended so that there will be a sense of balance,” Gonsalves said.
He noted that the beach “is not a chapel. It doesn’t mean that you go there to hold Sunday school” and must be a place of enjoyment for everybody
“The state has to play a role in the enforcing of that. And also, when it is being done, it must not be seen as how some people try to do when we try to clean up Kingstown — you try to take away living from people. No. If you have chaos and disorder, we will not develop,” Gonsalves said.
Is d tax for vending there coming too? And is that d main motive for regulation? Iron yoke around Vinci’s neck any how we turn. Just want to know d truth.
Don’t get to turn hand in this place free. We have to mind d country even more than we mind our family.
Can they just leave people alone. Is everything they want to stick their head in people business.
Finally the government is getting serious. Princess Margaret Beach is the flagship beach and the land owners apparantly have no rights to ban vendors from erecting their counters on private land that meet the sand. Thank you for this initiative.
Throw all in the mix bro, it’s your last fling, guaranteed, enjoy it
I agree with the dog walking on d Beach n d foot ball playing this us real annoying .but d vending I fo t c a big fuss with that cause many people go on d beach n by d time they ready they drinks run hot so that r glad to get a cold drink to quench their thirst ,n done snacks for the kids as well.but no untidy seating I agree.do it in a professional manner.lets all enjoy the free nature of the beach.
Are my comments slanderous or libelous ? They are never posted.
I’m all for a clean beach, but would there be bathroom and shower for male and female
Every business in every country has to be recognized as a business and businesses are regulated by the law of the land SVG is a country of laws.
While Beach vendors provide a reasonable service for both Tourist and locals alike it’s important that rules are regulations be in place.
And yes there shouldn’t be a free for all. Taxes, licences etc. Should be paid.
BIG DOG! If you need a friend in SVG these days then you may have to get a dog. What does Ralph have against dogs? They form part of a family and can accompany them anywhere.
Look who’s talking about the importance of beaches. There are no toilets on many beaches. Folks from the tourist boats have to use the bush to relieve themselves. I won’t be surprise if Carlos will soon want to ban folks from using the beach.
Many folks take food and drinks to the beach for picnic, so will these items be banned?
So who will enforce these new regulations, will it be the goon squad or life guards?