…denies allegations by vendor at CoI

POPULAR Regent Street businessman, Hugh October, also known as Magic Man, sought to set the record straight on allegations made against him by a vendor who claims he had a hand in the destruction of her stall by city council workers.

The vendor, while testifying at the ongoing Commission of Inquiry into the operations of City Hall, earlier this week claimed that October, through connections with the Town Clerk, Royston King, influenced city council to break up her stall which was located just outside of October’s business on Regent Street.

However, according to October, he has no special connection to King and has never even been to King’s office, although he has approached King on the streets about the issue with the vendor since the two had an ongoing feud.

He said he had also reported the matter to the mayor, Patricia Chase-Green, but only because of the ongoing tensions between the two.

According to October, it was actually the woman who would often boast of having connections to King and other politicians. He counter claimed that he has received constant harassment from the woman and her husband, and he did indeed wanted them removed because they would continue to speak to passersby and dissuade customers from coming to his business.

“I never even know what the Town Clerk office look like. She was boasting about her connection with the government and her relationship with Mr. King, but I never used to pay her no mind. If two vendors having a problem, you leave one and move one,” October explained.

According to October, he first came across the woman and her husband when they asked to sell on the pave in front of his business place, and he complied. The couple later had issues with October for cleaning the front of his business with water, to the point where, according to October, he was threatened by the woman’s husband. He reported the matter to the city constabulary and the man was arrested and the matter went to court. Allegations that October threw water on the gentleman resulted in both parties being placed on a bond to keep the peace.

In a subsequent matter, the woman accused October of stealing products that she was selling, but later recanted her story. According to a witness in that matter, Yonette Adams, the woman did tell her that October stole her articles but later denied saying anything. October made a report of the matter to the police and that issue is still ongoing.