Officials move to restore order in congested Annotto Bay

Public disorder in Annotto Bay has become a mounting concern for residents and businesses, prompting calls for tighter enforcement against illegal vending and chronic traffic congestion in the St Mary town.

Stakeholders complain that blocked pavements, illicit parking and unregulated street vending are hampering commerce and worsening daily life, despite the availability of rehabilitated market facilities.

The situation has become so problematic that the St Mary Municipal Corporation is preparing to convene a meeting to “iron out the best way forward in restoring public order”, according to Member of Parliament for Southeast St Mary, Christopher Brown.

He told The Gleaner on Wednesday that the disorder threatens to undermine the town’s economic prospects.

Brown said there is a pressing need to restore structure and predictability to Annotto Bay. “There is a definite need to focus on the potential and economic prospects of the town of Annotto Bay, which he said, has to be properly developed and properly structured – where there is order on the part of all the stakeholders,” he said.

“It has always been my intention and a primary focus of mine to ensure, engineer, and generate economic activities and also economic growth for this constituency,” commented Brown.

He argued that a functional town environment requires cooperation across groups. “The town of Annotto Bay has a lot of potential for tourism, for business, for entertainment, and for culture. We have to have respect for all stakeholders including vendors, students, taxi operators, the police, business operators, and the courts – with the understanding that mutual respect has to be at the core of having the type of town that we all want.”

Residents say illegal vending on sidewalks and walkways has made the town difficult to navigate, worsening traffic congestion caused by improper parking.

Business owners, including restaurant operator Janet Williams and haberdashery owner Millicent Hill, report that customers are often unable to reach their shops because of vendors blocking entrances.

Brown acknowledged the constraints of the space. “Annotto Bay is a small town, which is very congested, and with limited parking for those coming into the town to do business, it is really a challenge,” he said.

Chairman of the St Mary Municipal Corporation, Fitzroy Wilson, noted that the corporation invested roughly $19.2 million last year to rehabilitate the Annotto Bay market, creating safer and more suitable facilities for vendors. However, many opted to remain on the streets.

“What took place really is that following the passage of hurricane Melissa in October, last year, we allowed some form of vending on the streets just for the Christmas season, as it was a very difficult period for farmers and vendors,” said Wilson. “This was done with the understanding that by January 5, 2026, they would go back to occupying the market space. We have seen strong resistance from some, but none the less, through collaboration we are getting there.”

Wilson said the municipality intends to step up enforcement while continuing engagement. “I am not the kind of person that deals with a big stick approach, and so we will once again engage those vendors and to urge them to return to the space. There is enough space in the market for food vendors, and we will be carrying out some enforcement.”

He also raised concerns about sanitation and public health. “Where they are on the streets now, they don’t have sanitary convenience to ease themselves. They don’t have running water to wash their hands and some of them are selling cooked food. We saying you must use the market and you must use the proper facility to do what you are doing.”

Parking remains unresolved. “As it relates to parking, there was an area in the town that was used for parking, but it is to longer available. So we are looking at alternatives where paid parking can be accommodated, so as to ease the congestion in Annotto Bay,” he noted.

gareth.davis@gleanerjm.com