Illegal vendors ordered off Public Beach

Officials are warning illegal vendors operating on Public Beach to stop immediately or face prosecution and the confiscation of their goods.

The warning was issued on Friday, 27 Jan., by Public Lands Commission Chief Inspector Winsome Prendergast, who announced that illegal vendors have until 1 Feb. to vacate public lands.

“Any person found vending from Crown properties without a valid Vendor Permit issued by the Public Lands Commission, is in breach of the Public Lands Act, and the Public Lands Regulations,” said Prendergast.

“Such persons are to immediately cease and desist from this criminal undertaking, and have until the 1st February 2023 to do so, or face prosecution and the confiscation of goods and materials used in the commission of this offence”.

The warning comes on the heels of recent complaints over illegal trading at Seven Mile Public Beach, including jerk chicken stands and deckchair rentals set up in the public cabanas.

Some vendors, understood to have ‘pre-approval’ to operate at the beach, will be allowed to continue. But they must do so from a series of small wooden kiosks close to the car park, built for their use.

When the Compass visited the beach in October last year, the area swarmed with vendors, many of whom acknowledged the situation was out of control. The huts were boarded up and unused while an assortment of businesses plied their trade in public cabanas or at the water’s edge.

The issue dates back several years but as the tourists, and particularly the cruise ships, returned post-COVID, it reared its head once more. The previous government had sought to introduce a licensing regime for the vendors, but the details of the permit process were not enacted.

And when traders returned to the beach in droves after the borders reopened, confusion reigned over their status and how to deal with the issue.

Speaking in Parliament in December, Lands Minister Juliana O’Connor-Conolly said the PLC had prepared a policy that could be adopted for the granting of some permits to vendors at Public Beach in accordance with the Public Lands Regulations, 2021.

Although it has not been made clear whether the policy was approved by Cabinet, some vendors have been given provisional licences.

“We are aware that there are some pre-approved persons who have pending applications or have conditional approval based on having a valid trade and business license,” Prendergast said.

But she insisted they must use the huts and not carry out business on the beach itself.

“These vendors are to operate ONLY from the designated kiosks at the Seven Mile Public Beach. We will provide the public with an update of the newly designed Vendor permit application process following receipt of Cabinet’s policy directive on beach vending.”

Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan has on several occasions acknowledged the issue of illegal vending at Public Beach, which he said “has gotten out of control” and needs to be addressed – while adding his personal view that there should be no vending permitted on that beach.

Anyone with information about people operating on Crown land, or parcels registered as Public Land, are asked to contact the Public Lands Inspectorate at 946-7110 or email [email protected].