Minister Mckenzie Cites Need for Wider Discussions on Traffic Management

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, is calling for wider discussions regarding traffic management, especially during a natural disaster.

He argued that the matter was not the sole responsibility of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

“I think that there is a wider discussion that needs to be had, and we must not forget that there is a certain level of indiscipline that exists among some people within the motoring public that is of great concern,” Mr. McKenzie said.

He was speaking during the National Disaster Risk Management Council meeting on Tuesday (October 31) at the Local Government Ministry on Hagley Park Road in Kingston.

Mr. McKenzie noted that the free movement of emergency vehicles is a matter that the “Council (Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation) needs to sit and have a look at, putting the major players in the committee at the table to look at how we can address this problem”.

He was speaking against the background of Monday’s (October 30) 5.6 magnitude earthquake, which impacted sections of Jamaica.

The resulting early dismissal of schools and closure of some businesses sparked peak hour traffic in the Corporate Area.

For his part, Kingston’s Mayor, Senator Councillor Delroy Williams, said in the case of a major earthquake, deliberations should be held to determine whether there is need to develop protocols for schools/institutions.

“Do we say everybody go for their children or would it be better and in the interest of safety and saving lives for people to remain where they are? What happened yesterday, everybody rushed out to get their children and the roads became clogged. It is a very difficult decision to make because we all want to find our families,” Mayor Williams said.

“Let us have a discussion [and] let us include them (the public) in the discussion,” he added.

Meanwhile, Acting Director General, Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), Richard Thompson, said the Agency will be updating the national earthquake plan.

He said this will take into consideration the need for a movement protocol, especially within the Corporate Area.