60-Day Amnesty for Delinquent Motorists

Beginning July 1, a 60-day amnesty will be granted to delinquent motorists to pay the fines on outstanding traffic tickets, without incurring a penalty or interest.

This was announced by Minister of National Security, Hon. Robert Montague, during his contribution to the 2017/18 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on April 26.

Additionally, he informed that the House will shortly be passing the new Road Traffic Act, which will modernise the sector and promote greater safety for all road users.

Meanwhile, the Minister pointed out that steps are being taken to ramp up domestic security with increased enrolment in the Jamaica Combined Cadet Force (JCCF), particularly in western Jamaica.

Mr. Montague said this activity will focus on engaging unattached youth.

“The Spot Valley High school will operate as one of the training centres. We have 19 officers in training for a new cadet battalion for western Jamaica. We only have 293 cadets in western Jamaica and we must increase this number,” Mr. Montague said.

Discussions are under way with 10 schools in western Jamaica to establish new cadet units, and the JCCF has been furnished with an aircraft to facilitate its private pilot training programme, he noted.

The Minister also reported that the Government will be enhancing its crime-fighting efforts, through the use of technology. One such method is the locally developed Stay Alert app, which will be preloaded on all new android phones as of June 1.

This is being done through an agreement among the Ministry of National Security and telephone and Internet providers, Digicel and Flow.

The app provides access to several features, including I Report, which allows persons to send anonymous information to the police.

This can be done via videorecording and audio recording, photograph or a message. Panic Mode can be used to contact the police in case of an emergency; The Law for easy access to Jamaican laws in abridged format; and Alerts, which allow persons to receive important safety information from the police.

The Stay Alert app can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or the Apple Store.

Article by: Rochelle Williams
Photo from: www.jis.gov.jm