Conspiracy against motorists

The Editor, Sir:

On January 18, 2011, I parked my 1990 Toyota motor car at the top of Duke Street, Kingston, which has been one of my 'safe' parking areas over the last 30 years. When I returned an hour later, my car was gone. After some anxious moments and frantic enquiries, I learnt that a wrecker had towed my car (and others as well) to the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC) pound on Church Street.

Upon payment of $4,000 and a demand to see my ownership papers (which I did not have with me), my car was released with the receipt stating that I had "parked in a manner to obstruct traffic". This was an outright lie, of course.

On February 11, just three weeks later, my said car was parked on Mark Lane, another free parking area close to my office, but away from any main road. One hour later when I checked for my car, it had again been removed. Upon investigation, I discovered that a wrecker had again taken away my car to the pound on Church Street and it was not released until and after the usual runaround, and after payment of another $4,000. Their receipt boldly stated that $1,900 of this money was for the KSAC and the other $2,200 was for the wrecker company. This time the ticket receipt carried the lie that I had "parked on the sidewalk".

After 30 years in this country, this is the latest tribulation reaching me. I have never experienced such institutionalised harassment as that which the KSAC and its agents are now inflicting routinely on us as motorists. I say 'us', as I was amazed at the silent anger of other motorists who felt themselves victims merely because they are owners of motor vehicles, and not because they are offenders against any law.

Because I paid the KSAC fine imposed does not mean that I am not in contempt of the system and of those who apply and enforce this malpractice against motorists forced to use Kingston's streets.

Alienating motorists is not a major concern of the governing elite at this time. Their agents have the green light to bring in revenue, whatever the social costs and however lawless their agents have to be to bring in revenue.

- Dennis Forsythe