Vendors removal in Kingstown halted.
A rapid sequence of public directives, sudden deadline suspensions, and conflicting public statements has raised serious questions regarding the government’s overall policy and goals surrounding street vending in the capital.
On September 10, 2026, the Kingstown Town Board issued a sweeping public notice announcing that street vending would be prohibited along Bedford Street, Bay Street, and surrounding sidewalks effective Saturday, September 12, 2026.
The mandate directed all affected vendors to clear the streets immediately and relocate to designated facility locations, such as the Kingstown Central Market, Downtown Vegetable Market, Uptown Vegetable Market, Kingstown Board Car Park, or Kingstown Cemetery. The Board framed the crackdown as a necessary measure to ensure a clean, safe, orderly, and accessible capital.
However, just 24 hours later, on September 11, 2026, Acting Warden Noel Dickson published an official follow-up notice announcing an immediate stay of implementation until further notice. The notice explained that after hearing representations from stakeholders, the Board chose to pause enforcement to allow for additional consultation, acknowledging the vital economic role vendors play in supporting Vincentian families.
The recent back-and-forth follows months of fluctuating signals from government officials regarding Kingstown’s commercial street policy.
During the 2026 budget address in February, Minister Laverne Gibson-Velox labeled sidewalk vending a “grave concern” and announced that the government intended to enforce a “no vending policy” within the first quarter of the year.
At the time, officials highlighted plans to regulate roughly 90 permitted street sellers and balance public safety with market infrastructure improvements. Announced initiatives included rodent-proofing the Downtown Market, upgrading lighting at the Uptown Market, and making extensive structural repairs to the George McIntosh Community Market.
Despite naming sidewalk vending an urgent priority for Q1, enforcement languished for months before culminating in a two-day eviction notice in September, which was subsequently rescinded within a day
The decision to stay the enforcement has exposed apparent internal confusion over what the policy suspension actually signifies.
While the Town Board’s official notice describes the move as a temporary stay pending further dialogue, Deputy PM St. Clair Leacock publicly challenged that framing in a social media comment under an SVG TV post. Leacock asserted: “It’s not a pause Sir!!! It’s a firm Halt awaiting our comprehensive plan on the refurbishing of Kingstown”. He added that vendors have a “special place in our hearts” and will play a “central role” in developmental plans.
This contradiction creates uncertainty for vendors and the public alike, leaving it unclear whether street enforcement is just delayed for administrative talks or scrapped entirely in favor of an upcoming urban master plan.
The political context surrounding street vending further complicates the administration’s stance. The New Democratic Party (NDP) has historically voiced strong opposition to the removal of street vendors from Kingstown.
With official policy swinging between aggressive short-notice deadlines, sudden stays, and competing declarations regarding future redevelopment, Kingstown’s vendor community remains in limbo over when or if permanent market relocation measures will ever be enforced.
