Toll road authorities on storm alert

 

Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Minister Daryl Vaz says toll authorities are on alert to respond to any emergency directive that may be issued by the ministry in response to Tropical Storm Melissa. 

 

"[It] means that if the storm or the hurricane is creating panic and the highways are congested, I will give the direction to open the highways, tollbooths, free of cost to the communters during the period of the storm," he announced.

 

He says the Jamaica Urban Transit Company and the Montego Bay Metro will maintain regular bus operations as the weather permits.

 

Thirty buses across depots in Portmore, Spanish Town, Rockfort and Montego Bay have been designated for emergency deployment. 

 

As for air travel, the minister says airports remain open, but the possibility of a closure depends on the threat of the weather system. 

 

"The minute that a hurricane warning - not a watch - a warning has been issued, it is likely that the airports will close within 24 hours. It is not a must that both of them will be closed at the same time. It's all dependent on the tracking of the storm or the hurricane and the elements in terms of the locations of the two airports. So for right now, airports remain open and the only time that we will move to close the airports will be if the Met Office issues a hurricane warning," said Mr. Vaz, who was speaking Thursday at a special press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister.