Message From A Supporter To The Police
Brother Vernon...or should that be Nephew! I am wondering if the Traffic Authority or whoever is responsible is working on a Traffic flow plan for the Corporate area. It used to be a morning and afternoon glut, but it's all hours of the day now.
You can sit at one spot for ten minutes without moving and when you do, it could be a half turn of the wheels,
It's probably under discussion and being worked on. Whatever the situation I was in traffic earlier when I thought of writing to you about it.Br
Note:
A few years ago, we widened the roads
NWC Broken Main in the Drain!
The picture above does not show the problem clearly. The challenge is that there is a leaking NWC main that connects to the White Water community in St. Catherine. The pipe is placed in a wastewater drain. The NWC pipe in the drain affects the flow in the drain, and that results in flooded homes and streets.
If this report is correct about an NWC main being placed in the drain, then somebody at NWC must be held accountable for this blunder. There is another problem looming. If the NWC has a disruption in the water flow, then the stagnant water from the drain could be sucked into the NWC pipe, and people could end up using this contaminated water to quench their thirst at home. The NWC must treat this matter with all urgency.
ODPEM
As soon as the Director General of ODPEM has dealt with the Hurricane Melissa devastation, he has to deal with the clean-up needed at ODPEM. He alone cannot do it, and he will find that he cannot rely on those in management there to guide the process. More to come. ODPEM needs proper financial support and a strong management team.
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Regarding traffic Jams bear the following in mind:
ReplyDeleteIn 2015 Jamaica had 190,000 vehicles on the roads based on the Motor Vehicle Examination Depot (MVED)records.
In 2025 MVED records revealed 590,000 so for convenience let's use 600,000.
By 2030 if present trends continue we could be at 800,000 and by 2035 in excess of 1.000,000
There are now Traffic Jams everywhere from Morant Point to Negril Point.
What plans are there to reduce traffic Jams except STOP LIGHTS, ,vehicle seizures and issuance of traffic tickets in every nook and cranny of Jamaica.
There is now even a stoplight on the Green Island Main Road in Hanover.
A stoplight in Troy or Bunkers Hill in Trelawny. Bethel Town ,Cornwall Mountain or Whitehouse in Westmoreland could perhaps deter the speed and catastrophic recklessness of a future incoming hurricane,hahahaha.
The efficient and timely movement of people and goods is essential,for
the increased productivity,growth and civilized holistic development of a nation.
The country now seems trapped in a Motorized Economic Pyramid Scheme (MEPS) capable of financing national budgets but at the same time stunting real productivity and economic growth.
The budget of Ja$1.3 trillion would take 130,000 vehicles averaging a $10,000 ticket each for say a missing lug nut or other offence.
Results of an inefficient Transport Systemare: lateness,idling in traffic,contaminated breathable air and greater Foreign exchange expenditure on parts and fuel consumption.
This could be part of the reason why Jamaica remains the 2nd poorest country in the Caribbean with a per capita GDP now below US$6000 only Haiti is below US with a per capita GDP of little over US$2000.
Take a quick glance at a Toyota Probox.
Full import duties inclusive of COST ,INSURANCE AND FREIGHT = appr100% of what you buy it for in Japan.
It should be noted that our political leaders,some public servants and businesses under various incentive Acts pay 0-20% duties on their vehicles and other paraphernalia.
Any named vehicle for ordinary Jamaicans in addition to full duties has to be insured, then passed at the MVED,LICENCED at our tax offices then fully gassed up with fuel taxed at appr 47%.
Think about it $JA10,000 spent at the gas station pump you get appr $5300 of fuel that includes additives water and other paddding impurities.
Solutions should include:
A more effective,predictable and efficient nationally holistic transportation system.
No the piecemeal ad hoc partisan politically contrived approaches being used.
The establishment of a bipartisan Transportation Commission not just a Transport Authority whose main objective in addition to maintaining order is to boost/reinforce an oppressive backdoor taxation system in collusion with the police,Transport Authority government, tax departments.
Added to that are various extortionists and hustlers on the road at the various stops.
An efficient clean,decent nationally integrated 24 hour public transportation system that discourages private vehicle usage reducing traffic jams.
Greater use of TRAINS,BOATS,TRAMCARS,BUSES,Helicopters,planes Bikes Bicycles Hand Carts,Horse and Donkey Carts,TRUCKS and CARS where appropriate.
Time has come to consider the self imposed banning of private Motor vehicle imports for 1-3 years or until present stocks have been depleted.
Not this present inefficient,filthy,adhoc,criminal infested,gang land extortion led "SHYTSEM" staffed in many places by underpants showing spliff bearing,slippers wearing badwud cussing personell.
The greatest emphasis now is on importing selling vehicles,issuing tickets,seizing vehicles and not building an efficient productively safe fully integrated nationally transportation system.
Jamaica we needs to put on our objectively productive thinking caps.This post hurricane Melissa rebuilding period is an opportunity to recalibrate many areas of the country for betterment and transportation is but one of those areas in a real traffic Jam in need of repackaging and rebranding for the good of the nation.