Vendor claims she was beaten by Kingstown Board employees

Brenda Lee, a resident of McCarthy, who has been vending for over 40 years, says her blouse was ripped off by workers attached to the Kingstown Town Board (KTB) during an incident at the Kingstown Vegetable Market.

The incident is alleged to have taken place on Friday, March 24 in an area of the Kingstown Vegetable Market referred to as “The Round Ring”.

On Monday, March 27, Lee told SEARCHLIGHT that on Friday she was plying her trade in “The Round Ring” when she was approached by five KTB workers who told her she should go to the stall she was assigned which is located inside the market.

She said since vendors were moved into the market last year, she has opted not to sell at her stall but in an unoccupied corner of the market, and on Fridays and Saturdays, she would vend in “The Round Ring which is located at the centre of the market.

Lee says she does this because on the first day at her assigned position last year, she sold only $5 worth of produce and on her second day she sold nothing.

Lee said on Friday, after she was told to pick up her produce and go back to her stall, she was trying to explain and one of the male KTB workers said she had two minutes to move her produce.

She said a female worker commented, “You ain’t see she nah pick up no load, leh arwe go pick up the load,” and shoved her (Lee).

“She push me, and I push she back, and from since I push she back, she grabble me up and she start to fire on cuff and then the other boy come and he start to fire cuff to meet me too, and his hand ‘thing up’ in my jersey and all, and them tugging me gwine and when them tugging me gwine, the other guy, the Rasta youth, pelt two cuff and the two ah them catch me in me head,” Lee said.

The vendor of long standing said other vendors came to her assistance after blows were raining down on her.

She said she was left in her pants and bra, following which she went to the Central Police Station. She said the workers of the KTB followed her to the police station and told the police officer she was speaking to that she had been vending on the streets.

Lee claimed that the police officer used expletives to her but after she explained that she had been inside the market when the incident occurred, he told her to go to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to make a report.

To add insult to injury, Lee said she received a letter from the KTB on Friday March 24, informing her that she was no longer allowed to vend inside the market.

She said she is not happy about the beating and she has already returned her injury forms to the police and will also be seeking the advice of a lawyer.

The mother of three said she is hoping that in future, KTB workers can carry out their jobs without becoming physical with persons.

Lee showed receipts explaining that she pays $30 for her stall, and $10 for the days she sells in the ring, a total of $40.

“I ain’t feel good because whole night last night I can’t sleep…this morning I wake up ah cry,” Lee said while showing scratches on her neck and complaining of pain in her head.

The vendor said she has no other way of making a living and she will be returning to the market to ply her trade as she did last Saturday, March 25.

SEARCHLIGHT was unable to reach Warden of the KTB Clayton Burgin, while other managers refused to comment on the incident.