New Transport Minister Wants Discipline In Sector

Newly appointed Minister of Transport and Mining, Hon. Audley Shaw, says he is focusing on eliminating indiscipline in the transport sector and restoring the railway system.

Mr. Shaw told JIS News that the public transportation system is critical for productivity, and when workers utilise the vehicles they should enter work feeling motivated, and operators in the sector must accept the responsibility that is required from them.

“We are going to lift our standards in this country, treating people with respect, treating them like human beings, and when they end up at work they feel happy and end up being more productive,” the Minister said.

He added that commuters must be able to travel in comfort, and that work will be done to reposition the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC), as the public transport system is central for students and workers.

Regarding the railway system, Mr. Shaw said a private investor is making plans to run a train from Montego Bay, in St. James to Appleton in St. Elizabeth, to facilitate tourism offerings, and “it will be the beginning of the restoration of the railway system in Jamaica”.

Meanwhile, the Minister said there will be a “careful” approach to mining, both for bauxite and limestone, noting that limestone is a “major potential industry” for Jamaica.

“We have to make sure that wherever we do it, it is environmentally acceptable. We have to work closely with the National Environmental and Planning Agency (NEPA) and give regard to the need to preserve the environment,” he emphasised.

The Ministry is on a mission to encourage and foster the environment for a safe and efficient transport system and the oversight and regulation of the mining sector. It has regulatory responsibility for the safety of all modes of transport, whether publicly or privately operated.

Additionally, the Ministry is responsible for issuing licences and leases for mining operations pertaining to the exploitation of the country’s mineral resources and is committed to the implementation of integrated solutions that will reduce vulnerability to geological hazards and disasters.

Policy development is also an overarching responsibility of the Ministry, and through continuous revision and improvement of policy initiatives it incorporates the national vision and outcomes, which are aligned with international best practices within the transport and mining sectors.