Unpaid traffic fines top $3b

ONE LOCAL transport operator who has accumulated at least two tickets per day within a two-year period has not been paying the fines.

Transport Minister Mike Henry told Parliament yesterday the driver has accumulated more than 1,500 tickets, which put him atop a list of traffic offenders to have been booked by the police.

According to Henry, outstanding to date, 11 drivers have accumulated 301-500 tickets; 55 persons slapped with 201-300 tickets; and 393 motorists have chalked up 101-200 tickets.

"This shows that the whole aspect of the point system, the whole aspect of traffic regulation, is not working," Henry said.

The outstanding fines for traffic violation value more than $3 billion.

"The analysis of the traffic citation data clearly demonstrates the urgent need to fix the current problems that are preventing the Government from collecting outstanding revenues and to improve road safety," Henry said.

A total of 225,843 traffic tickets were issued last year.

Superintendent Radcliffe Lewis, head of the Traffic Division, says the police will be resolute in bringing offenders to book.

"We will be going all out to apprehend these men who have many outstanding tickets," Lewis told The Gleaner last night.