Brighter days ahead for tinting

The Government has agreed to relax the rules surrounding the tinting of windows, and windshields on public-passenger vehicles.

At present, it is illegal for taxis and buses to operate with tint on their windows and the police have been enforcing the law in some areas.

But several buses operated by the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) are imported heavily tinted and they have avoided the focus of the police, sparking complaints from private public-transportation operators.

Accepting that this is an issue, Transport and Works Minister Mike Henry on Wednesday announced that steps are being taken to change the law.

Interim amendment

However, Henry said he would move even before the legislation is approved by Parliament.

"I am going to go for an amendment in the interim that every public-passenger vehicle can have a 35 per cent tint.

"Where the JUTC has gone overboard and gone beyond this, they have to amend that and everybody has to come to that agreement," Henry told the weekly post-Cabinet media briefing.

"When I look at the route taxis and the minibuses ... people still have to hold paper (at their faces) because the sun comes in and the vehicles are not air-conditioned. So we have agreed on a 35 per cent tint for all public-passenger vehicles," Henry added.

The minister said he is also considering changes to the laws governing seat belts because this is creating a hardship on taxi operators.

But Henry did not provide details on the proposed changes to the seat belt laws.