Duncan, Chang trade thoughts on public order

The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) is seeking to take proactive steps in partnering with the government to address what it calls "the state of public disorder on our roads".

In a statement, the PSOJ said its new president, Keith Duncan, had met with National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang to hear the immediate to medium term plans of the ministry to combat indiscipline on the nations roads and to improve enforcement of the law.

During the discussions, the organisation said, Chang outlined the strategic plan that is being operationalised to treat with effective law enforcement, improving the efficiency of the Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch (PSTEB), and increasing their capacity to monitor and apprehend offenders through the application of technology.

The minister reportedly also called attention to the on-going work in overhauling the Traffic Ticket Management System (TTMS).

“The updated TTMS will be a centralised, web-based platform that will improve the management of traffic tickets throughout the various stages - issuance of tickets, application of payments, demerit points, court fines, issuing of warrants, etc.," the PSOJ quoted Chang as stating. 

"The system will reflect in real time from the point the ticket is issued to an offender, to when it is either paid at the tax office or adjudicated in court."

“The idea is to create a totally interconnected system among the four key agencies, namely: the police, through PSTEB, Tax Administration, Island Traffic Authority, Inland Revenue, and Court Management.”

The public should commence interfacing with the first phase of the revamped TTMS by the end of this month. PSTEB officers are also to be equipped with hand-held devices by early next year to facilitate the electronic issuance of traffic tickets. 

During the meeting, the PSOJ said, mention was also made of the JamaicaEye project which is increasing the surveillance capability of the police through around-the-clock video monitoring of public spaces across the island. Chang informed of the continued expansion of the JamaicaEye network, and urged members of the business community to partner with the initiative by sourcing the information on the camera specifications from the ministry, installing and connecting their cameras with JamaicaEye. 

For Chang, this new TTMS and the continued expansion of the JamaicaEye project signal a resetting of Jamaica’s public order and traffic law enforcement. 

Duncan expressed support for the initiatives outlined by the minister and noted that “reckless road use and general indiscipline are pillars of public disorder".

Said the PSOJ head: "People who commit traffic offences and other crimes should not do so without fear of consequences. The PSOJ welcomes these efforts by the Ministry of National Security to create a roadmap to public order and will take a collaborative approach to ensure order is returned to our society."

He added: "We cannot ignore the nexus between the lawlessness on our roads, loss of productivity and the resultant impact on the economy.” 

In looking at next steps, the PSOJ said it was mutually agreed that a follow-up meeting would be convened in the coming weeks between the leaders of Jamaica’s business community, Chang, and the Police High Command, in an effort to strengthen public-private partnership in the process of restoring public order on the streets of Jamaica, and bolstering oversight and accountability of the process. 

A meeting will also be scheduled with Transport Minister Robert Montague to address the challenges with the public transportation management system and the plans to improve the sector going forward.