APPROXIMATELY 250 street vendors have been placed in a temporary market facility near the Portmore Mall, as the Portmore Municipal Council imposes a "zero tolerance" policy for illegal vending in the town.

"Most of the vendors were at JamWorld on the roadside. But we have moved all of them as there is zero tolerance with vendors on the roadside in Portmore," the mayor of Portmore, George Lee told the Observer.

The food and dry-goods vendors have been moved to a temporary facility adjacent to the Portmore skating rink and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints where the Portmore Foundation will be building a market in 2004.
Lee told the Observer yesterday that the municipality had obtained permission from the Portmore Foundation to set up the temporary market.

The temporary facility has water, security and toilets.

"Though we are obligated to removing them, we also felt an obligation to provide a facility in a reasonable setting for them to sell their goods," the mayor said.

Vendors using the facility are required to pay a small registration fee of $50 and market fees of $100 on Fridays and Saturdays and $50 during the week.
"When we have a market we will charge a proper rate," Lee said.

At the same time, he has urged residents not to patronise vendors who are illegally selling on the road.