AG instructs Transport Authority to tighten reins on PSVs Loop Barbados

Black Immigrant Daily News

The Transport Authority has been instructed to do its job and be “more authoritative” as it relates to traffic violations by public service vehicles (PSVs).

This comes from Attorney General Dale Marshall who stated that the Barbados Police Service does not have enough officers to deal with the lawlessness on the nation’s roads.

A lot of these things are not necessarily police issues…

“The Transport Authority is the regulatory agency, so when we have PSV drivers who are constantly breaking the rules and regulations, the court system is not the place for them. What is required is that the Authority be authoritative and revoke the permit and things of that sort to bring discipline,” said the Attorney General during St James Speaks town hall meeting on Wednesday, September 28 at the Frederick Smith Primary School.

“Unfortunately, everybody looks to the police when there is a deviation from the norm….In this instance, with those kinds of minor traffic issues, the Transport Authority is the one we have to look to bring those individuals to heel,” he continued.

While acknowledging that the cameras mounted along the highway stretch can assist with catching traffic offenders, the Attorney General asserted that this crime prevention strategy by the Service was “not necessarily” for these minor issues.

Marshall explained that several measures were in the works to tackle the PSVs on the roads, this includes GPS monitoring and a “new transport arrangement” as it relates to the supervision by the Transport Authority. However, he stressed that an iron fist was needed to correct bad behaviour by PSV operators.

“What we really need is a firmer hand on the PSV drivers but while the police can be involved in that, given our resource challenges, we simply cannot deploy enough police officers for that purpose,” Marshall said adding that it would be a collaborative effort with the Ministry of Public Works.

“A lot of these things are not necessarily police issues. We would tie up a lot of police time stopping a PSV driver and charging him and going through the court process -that is not necessarily desirable.”

The Attorney General went on to urge the travelling public to report traffic law offenders to the Transport Authority.

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