Phillips wants independent probe into JUTC bus crash

Opposition Spokesman on Transport Mikael Phillips is calling for the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) to conduct an independent investigation into Saturday's bus crash which reportedly left 29 persons injured.

Phillips said the JUTC should provide a detailed report on the cause of the crash.

It is reported that the bus was carrying staff and family members from a day-trip in Trelawny when it ran off the road and into a precipice near Moneague in St Ann, injuring passengers.

“Some of the persons among the injured are already suggesting that the unit [bus] may have been defective or developed a defect en route, which contributed to the accident,” Phillips said in a statement.

“If this is so, it requires an investigation because the safety of both the staff and the public is paramount, and with back-to-school just weeks away, every effort must be made to ensure that our buses are safe for the over 200,000 thousand commuters, especially students, who will be utilising the bus service as schools re-open,” Phillips added.

The opposition transport spokesman argues that the commuting public has a right to know the cause of the crash and what measures will be taken to prevent a recurrence. 

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