The Andrew Holness-led government says it will not encourage lawlessness and has urged the taxi and bus operators who are protesting to demand an amnesty to pay unpaid traffic tickets.
Several commuters were left stranded Monday morning as taxi and bus operators protested in several parishes after they voted on Sunday to withdraw their service.
Cabinet in a press release Monday said it took note of the protest action and empathizes with everyone whose lives have been disrupted.
It stated that the government will not desist in its efforts to improve the transportation sector and urged transportation operators to continue offering their services.
According to the statement, the government is carrying out the internal processes required to successfully implement and enforce the new regime under the Road Traffic Act 2018 and its 2022 Regulations.
The release ended by advising those who have broken the law and as a result, have unpaid tickets, to pay their fines as ticketed.
The cabbies who held a meeting yesterday have been requesting a traffic ticket amnesty because they are frustrated with the more punitive road traffic ticketing system.
They also expressed frustration over the possibility of being jailed for unpaid fines, many of which they say were issued unfairly.
Egerton Newman, president of the Transport Operators Development Sustainable Services (TODSS) said it was unfair that the government is willing to facilitate a gun amnesty but not one for operators of taxis and buses.
“You can give the gunman amnesty to carry in the gun and you can’t give the taxpayers, taximan, busman an amnesty; who are willing to pay their tickets, all they want is a payment plan,” he said.
Newman had disclosed that operators would carry out an islandwide strike until their issue is addressed.
