Law Must be Enforced in Public Transport System – Minister Henry

Minister of Transport and Mining, Hon. Mike Henry, says the rule of law must prevail in the operation of the public transportation system.

“We have to be mindful that we cannot flout the law whenever it pleases us, or accommodate those who are operating illegally at the expense of those who are obeying the rules,” he said.
Minister Henry was speaking to JIS News following a meeting with transport operators in Montego Bay, St. James, recently.

He said the Ministry has been facilitating dialogue between members of the transport authority and operators of public passenger vehicles (PPV), in order for the operators to have a better understanding of the traffic laws.

He noted that the robots, or unlicensed taxis, continue to be a “sour point”, as they undermine the operations of the legal taxi operators.

He said that while it will be difficult to pursue, he will look into whether calls by some transport operators for passengers to be charged with aiding and abetting of robot taxis has any merit.

As it relates to use of bike taxis in western Jamaica, Minister Henry said he met with operators in Hanover and Negril, where he voiced concerns about their operations while giving a listening ear to their grouses.

“The first thing that I tell them is that before any constructive dialogue can go any further, they have to ensure that they are not only licensed to be on the road, but must also be in compliance with everything, including the wearing of helmets, both for the rider and outrider.

“I know the situation with the bikes is a serious problem as it relates to fatalities,” Mr. Henry pointed out.

“On the one hand, it can be argued that they are providing a much-needed service, but on the other hand, we have to ask ourselves, ‘at what cost’,” he added.