New Traffic Ticket Management System to take effect end of March

Jamaica’s new Traffic Ticket Management System is scheduled to become effective at the end of March.

That’s according to National Security Minister, Dr. Horace Chang, although Dr Lucien Jones still has "some misgivings" about the likelihood of meeting this target.

The news comes as the authorities intensify their clampdown on errant motorists.

The matter was discussed on Thursday at a meeting of the National Road Safety Council which is chaired by Prime Minister Andrew Holness.

The Traffic Ticket Management System is a centralised web-based platform. It is designed to monitor traffic tickets from the point of  issuance to either the payment of  fines at tax offices or adjudication in court.

Dr Jones, in an interview with RJR News, pointed to "the capacity of the courts in terms of uploading data - the internet speed, the bandwidth, personnel," as issues which must be addressed in order to achieve the implementation target.

He was particularly concerned about the existing difficulty in locating outswanding warrants for motorists who have "over a thousand tickets" despite the fact that "these warrants are within the court system."

Against that background, he said "althuogh we are hopeful, we're not as sanguine as the minister that this will take place by the end of March.

Nevertheless, he credited the National Security Minister for the work he has been doing to support efforts to implement the new system.