Vaz says normality returning to transport sector

A day after public transport operators withdrew their services in an all-island protest over certain aspects of Jamaica's new road traffic law, Transport Minister Daryl Vaz is reporting that normality is returning.

Vaz, who described the actions of the operators as premature and misleading on Monday, said that he is happy with the turn of events on Tuesday.

“Based on reports from the police… from the regional offices of the Transport Authority that normality seems to be returning. Buses are out, all different types of shapes and routes, and the roadblocks themself, which were cleared yesterday, have not been remounted," Vaz said.

“So I am hoping that this trend will continue throughout the morning, so that persons can go about their lawful business and get there in a timely manner, and most importantly to remind all the transport operators that the meeting that was scheduled for this morning at 9 o'clock  is on at the Transport Authority office," he added.

The parties scheduled to attend the meeting include the police, the Transport Authority, the Island Traffic Authority and a team from the Ministry of Transport, which is reviewing concerns raised out of a meeting held on June 5.

“I am hoping that this was all just a big miscommunication why we had the issue that we had yesterday and that there was no other motive, but I'm happy to say that good sense is prevailing," Vaz stated.

He added that, "There were no winners yesterday including those who withdrew their services, because they earned nothing for the day."

The islandwide protest action by the public transport operators was reportedly triggered by concerns about aspects of the new road traffic law, primarily the accumulation of demerit points for committing traffic offences, which has resulted in the suspension of some driver's licenses.

- Gareth Davis

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