Minister Chuck Warns Motorists with Unpaid Traffic Tickets
By: , December 4, 2022
Photo: Serena Grant
Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck, addresses a Justice of the Peace (JP) commissioning ceremony held at the Riu Hotel in Ocho Rios, St. Ann on December 1.
Photo: Serena Grant
Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck (second right), is joined by Custos of St. Ann, Hon. Norma Walters (second left) and Director/ Principal of the Justice Training Institute (JTI), Karen Campbell- Bascoe (left) in presenting newly installed Justice of the Peace (JP), Tamayo Wilson with her completion certificate and seal. Occasion was a JP commissioning ceremony for the parish of St. Ann, held at the Riu Hotel in Ocho Rios on December 1.The Full Story
Motorists with outstanding traffic tickets are being urged to pay them or face consequences.
“The traffic violators will shortly find out that their licence can’t be renewed, or their vehicles can’t be licensed and warrants will be issued,” said Justice Minister, Delroy Chuck.
He was addressing the commissioning ceremony for new Justices of the Peace (JPs) for St. Ann at the Riu Hotel in Ocho Rios on December 1.
The Minister said that the Government remains resolute in its stance that no amnesty will be granted to unruly public passenger vehicle operators, who have outstanding traffic tickets.
He noted that there are over one million unpaid tickets for which cases will be pursued. He informed that there are more than 2000 drivers with over 100 unpaid tickets each.
“These are the people that tell you that they want time to pay. These are the people who are repeatedly collecting traffic tickets like confetti,” Minister Chuck said.
“The audacity of persons who have violated the road codes, to come and say they want an amnesty. The rudeness to demand that. This Government will not back down and we are determined that every single violator [will face] consequences,” he emphasised.
Minister Chuck further pointed out that unpaid tickets are clogging up the court system, representing approximately 70 per cent of cases filed.
“The courts were never meant to be a collection agency. The idea of the traffic court was that when you get a ticket and you don’t think you should have gotten a ticket, you go to the court after 21 days and plead not guilty, because you are contesting the ticket; that was the idea,” he noted.
Some 40 JPs were commissioned into service during the ceremony.
In congratulating the newest cohort of JPs, Mr. Chuck encouraged them to be the “shining light” in their communities.