Traffic fine nightmare

At least two transport associations in Jamaica are calling for the Government to extend the payment period for traffic fines or suspend the issuance of tickets until the collection system returns to normality.

In late November, Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) advised the public that it was unable to collect payments for traffic ticket fines at tax offices or via the tax authority’s online system.

Motorists now have to wait until the 21-day payment period has expired and attend court in the parish where the offence was recorded to make payment.

President of the Transport Operators Development Sustainable Services, Egeton Newman, said he was told by the Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch that the situation would be rectified soon, but he is not hopeful.

“When you go to court, you are left to the mercy of the judge, who will charge up to six times the fine on the ticket. Why didn’t the Government allow for an extension of the date to pay the traffic ticket? It is poor judgement on the part of three ministries - transport, justice, and national security,” he told The Gleaner in an interview on Wednesday.

Newman revealed that 17 transport operators contacted him since last week, lamenting that they had appeared in court with tickets valued at $500 and were made to pay $3,000 or $3,500.

He added that transport operators accumulate a number of tickets, and suggested that a 60-day payment period - or longer - would be preferred because of the inconvenience and rising expenses under the stopgap regime.

Meanwhile, Raymond Bynes, president of the All-Island United Route Taxi Association, said he was concerned about crowd control at the various traffic courts amid the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, which is expected to flare with a fourth wave in January.

Bynes argued that the Government should have frozen the issuance of tickets when the TAJ announced that it was unable to accept payment.

“The courts are going to be overrun. It is also causing unease among taxi drivers, because a lot of them usually pay their tickets on time at the tax office or online. Taxi operators are going to have a pile-up of tickets, because when they go to the court and they see the crowd, some of them are frustrated and they turn back,” Bynes explained, adding that taxi operators could not afford to pay bearers to attend court on their behalf.

The fine-payment fiasco is linked to the non-finalisation of traffic offence codes to update the TAJ’s systems amid recent changes to the Road Traffic Act.

Five weeks ago, the Parliament hastily pushed through the amendments to the act in the House of Representatives and the Senate, following a Supreme Court injunction barring the police from issuing traffic tickets in excess of rates charged up to 2006.

TAJ Communications Officer Leighton Beckles told The Gleaner on Wednesday that it is still not yet in a position to collect payments for traffic ticket fines.

“We continue to work with our partner entities to effect a resolution in the shortest possible time, and once that does happen, we will duly advise the public,” Beckles said.

Karen Smith-Reid, a motorist, told The Gleaner that it is an “administrative nightmare” for everyone involved.

She said while waiting at the Traffic Court, she overheard several people complaining that they had been charged a larger amount than what was written on the ticket.

Smith-Reid said the current payment arrangement may not affect compliance, as the Traffic Court appears to be organised.

“They are moving pretty quickly; and I guess people are not deterred by the fact that they have to come here, because a lot of people were here this morning from Ocho Rios and Spanish Town,” Smith-Reid said on Wednesday.

Odain Thompson believes that many Jamaicans may be inconvenienced by the payment problem.

“The Government should have told the police to stop writing tickets until they sort it out, because people will have to take time from work to attend court,” Thompson said.

judana.murphy@gleanerjm.com