Police to Step Up Enforcement Against Persons Who Damage Public Roads

As part of ongoing measures to safeguard the nation’s road infrastructure, any individual found responsible for damaging public roads will face prosecution under the provisions of the new Road Traffic Act.

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development with responsibility for Works, Hon. Robert Morgan, has informed that the police will be intensifying enforcement efforts to ensure full compliance and that breaches are prosecuted.

“The new Road Traffic Act has a clause in it that sanctions not just cement trucks but anyone who damages the road infrastructure by their behaviour or activities. So, persons who dump aggregates on the road, let’s say cement trucks; if someone allows rocks to fall on the road and damage the road, and if the police get evidence of it, you can be fined up to $300,000, so we have asked the police here at the Ministry of Works to have a zero-tolerance approach,” the Minister said.

“I have spoken to the Head of the Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch (PSTEB) and he has also made a commitment that they will be redoubling their efforts to catch persons who cause damage to the roads because of things that are coming out of their vehicle,” he said.

The Minister was addressing journalists, following the opening ceremony for the Incorporated Masterbuilders Association of Jamaica’s seminar, held at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston, on November 25.

Mr. Morgan encouraged persons to share videos of these infractions with the authorities, including the police.

“The police welcome the videos. The fact is that we have spent a lot on our road infrastructure, particularly the South Coast Highway, from Harbour View to Yallahs to Portland, so we have to protect that investment.

Additionally, we are about to start some major road rehabilitation across the island and it is very sad when you have fixed a road and as you fix the road, you see a large amount of cement being dumped on it, and we are not going to accept it anymore,” he said.

Mr. Morgan informed that the road from Harbour View to Portland is approximately 90 per cent complete.

“It is in good condition, it didn’t suffer any major damage due to the hurricane, but we are going to be protecting it,” he said.

The Minister noted that persons have been charged under the Act. “You can be fined up to $300,000 per incident… every time you damage the road, you will be fined $300,000. I’m sure that will act as a good deterrent for persons who have been acting in a negative way,” he added.