Fireworks crackdown continues as sales slump

A vendor said that since police began their crackdown on Wednesday, sales of slumped with some vendors packing up shop and leaving.

“The way sales are going, we can barely make enough to cover what we invested. This has been one of the worst years for fireworks sales that I have seen and to make matters worse, the police are coming down hard on us for selling because you need a license in order to sell and we do not have this. If they are serious about putting an end to illegal fireworks like scratch bombs on the market, they need to search those wholesalers that import it in the first place, otherwise it will continue to find it’s way in the hands of the public, but don’t punish the man on the street trying to make a dollar.” On Queen Street, Robert Charles said while he is not opposed to the crackdown, he hopes the police treat other crimes with equal tenacity.

“Better regulation of these things (fireworks) are definitely needed, those fellas light the scratch bombs and throw it in the streets when people are walking.

We could do without that kind of foolishness but I just hope the police work with similar efficiency when it comes to murders, rapes and gang violence,” Charles said.

Two police officers, interviewed as they were on foot patrol along Charlotte Street, said: “The bottom line is if you have a license you don’t have anything to worry about. We are not going to allow any illegal vending of fireworks.”