SPANISH TOWN, St. Catherine:
COLLIN MANNING, president of the National Association of Taxi Operators (NATO), appeared in the Spanish Town Traffic Court on Monday on an executed warrant for breaches of the Road Traffic Act.
Manning, who was served with tickets before for dangerous driving, no insurance coverage, no licence disc affixed, unlicensed motor vehicle and no road licence failed to appear in court on November 13, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
The warrant was executed on him on December 6 when a police party visited his home. When Manning appeared in court Monday, he was represented by attorney-at-law, Cecil Mitchell, who instructed his client to plead guilty to all offences except dangerous driving. The charge was lessened to careless driving.
The taxi operator was then fined a combined $30,000, broken down as follows: $20,000 for no road licence or 30 days, $5,000 for careless driving, $2,000 for no insurance coverage, $500 for no licence disc affixed, and $2,500 for driving an unlicensed motor vehicle.
After the sentence was handed down, general secretary of NATO, Egeton Newman, said he was pleased with the amount of leniency that was shown.
"We at NATO will be more vigilant in regulating the 13,000 drivers under our charge," he said.
Mr. Newman said that he is also pleased that Mr. Manning acted responsibly by paying his fine in order to set an example for all taxi drivers, and especially those registered with NATO.
