It's survival of the fittest as some resort to dirty tactics in face of stiffer competition.

Outwit, outplay, outlast.
That motto from TV reality series Survivor also holds true for the buskers in Orchard Road.

The current economic downturn is certainly not music to their ears as they have seen takings drop in recent months.

If that's not enough of a worry, they also have to fend off competition from both legitimate and illegal buskers.

But more of that later. For now, the downturn is a more worrisome test of survivor skills.

Take the case of Mr Donald Wee, 51, who strums the guitar near Shaw House.

'More people are donating coins instead of $5 or $10 notes,' he lamented.

He used to earn about $100 in two hours but can net only $40 now. The former security guard went into busking four years ago when he could not find another job after he was arrested for fighting....

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A veteran Nanaimo busker claims she is being told by the Port of Nanaimo to conform to busking rules along the waterfront, without knowing exactly what those rules are.

Cathy Davis said she's been told by the Port that they regulate all busking on the federally owned property. She also said she's been told that there have been complaints about her and others who have joined her busking at the waterfront.

Last month Davis sent an e-mail to Mike Davidson, property manager at the Port, asking him to list the nature of the complaints, without revealing who made them. Davis has so far received no reply.

Davidson told the Daily News in an Oct. 2 story that the Port issues its own special permits. Davis said she has also heard nothing back from Davidson about getting such a permit.

Davidson did not return calls to the Daily News on Wednesday.

While the weather is now too foul for busking,...

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