Transport Authority seizes over 317 vehicles in overcharging crackdown

The Transport Authority has stepped up islandwide enforcement against public passenger vehicle operators accused of charging above approved fares, operations manager Nicola Brown Reed said on CVM's Lead Story on Thursday.

PPV operators were granted a 16 per cent fare increase this year, with the first eight per cent taking effect on June 2 and the remainder on July 1. Authorities say some operators have still been collecting more than the approved rates.

Since the increase, the authority has seized more than 317 vehicles. About 11 per cent involved white-plate operators working without a road licence, while 89 per cent were hackney operators in the Kingston Metropolitan Transport Region running as route taxis contrary to their licence terms. Using smart monitoring tools, officers checked more than 14,000 vehicles in June and July and, with the Island Traffic Authority, removed 162 plates from PPVs. The agency also reported 12 overcharging prosecutions, the removal of 103 illegal tins and 44 unapproved markings, and thanked the Jamaica Constabulary Force for support. Offenders are being brought before the courts.

Motorists who recently paid large sums to clear tickets ahead of the national demerit point system, set for October 1, are still seeking more time. Transport Operators Development Sustainable Services president Editton Newman has urged the Government to review the amended Road Traffic Act and consider delaying the start date.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Gary McKenzie opposed any postponement, citing an average of about 400 road deaths a year over the past five years. He said most offences that will attract points are serious violations that endanger lives, and that timely rollout should help curb dangerous driving. McKenzie also dismissed the belief that points are assigned as soon as a ticket is issued, noting motorists have 30 days to pay and may contest the charge in court.

Separately, Director of Public Prosecutions Claud Thompson and defence attorney Alexander Shaw warned Jamaicans against mob killings, saying such acts can be prosecuted under anti-gang legislation. Their comments followed the reported mob killing of a suspect linked to the murder and sexual assault of 10-year-old Shennai Ko in Troy, Trelawny. Residents later protested after police detained a man in connection with the mob killing. Shaw likened mob action to extrajudicial killing, arguing communities must not become judge, jury and executioner on assumption alone.

Demoy Pennington, an alleged serial rapist accused of targeting women through dating apps, is due before the St. Mary Gun Court on Firearms Act charges. Since his arrest he has faced counts including rape, robbery and unauthorised possession of ammunition, and has previous convictions, renewing concern about repeat offenders.

In Britain, British-Nigerian broadcaster Trey Raw responded on CVM to a viral panel clash with British Congolese commentator Cintik Dejunga, who linked Jamaican culture and music to sexual content. Raw condemned anti-Jamaican stereotyping, stressed Windrush-era Caribbean contributions to British civil rights, and rejected any causal link between dancehall lyrics and sexual crime.

Overseas, Philippine and Chinese coast guard vessels again confronted each other in the South China Sea, with Manila releasing footage of water cannon near disputed waters including Scarborough Shoal. Both sides traded accusations after their foreign ministers met on the sidelines of an ASEAN summit.